


Mirrors

by AddriannaDestiny



Category: The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: F/M, Family Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-18
Updated: 2015-01-18
Packaged: 2018-02-26 05:02:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 13
Words: 57,750
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2639018
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AddriannaDestiny/pseuds/AddriannaDestiny
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kol and Bonnie have been best friends since high-school but as close as they have been, nothing ever developed further than a close friendship until he left for war and realized his true feelings. But it might just be too late now that he returns and she is engaged to someone else.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

 

Rebekah heard someone closing the front door and waited to see which brother arrived first, she smiled at Elijah as he neared her and kissed her cheek like he always did.

"Why the urgency? I was in a meeting." he warmly inquired.

She nodded towards the kitchen where a blonde woman paced around making a call while the TV news filled the room with troubling reports of casualty among the American troops deployed in Afghanistan.

"… Kol Mikaelson, yes, he was sent there and it was announced on the news just now that a car exploded in Kabul... I just need to know whether he is all right. Yes... I'm aware that it is confidential information but he is my son. It's an emergency!" Esther shouted mad. "Do not place me on hold again, just search for the list with the names of the injured soldiers and tell me if Kol Mikaelson is listed as one of them... I am calm!" she shrieked and took the remote control bringing the volume of the TV up. "Can you hear that? I'm worried about my son."

Rebekah's phone started ringing and she took the call quickly. "Nik? We have a family crisis, mother is panicking because there is news of an army car exploding in Kabul and we can't reach Kol."

Elijah stroked Rebekah's arm gently and went to his mother that stared at her phone flabbergasted.

"They silenced me..." she looked at her phone ready to murder it.

Her son took the phone away before she called them again. "You need to relax mother."

"Relax? My baby boy might be lying dead on some deserted road." she closed her eyes fighting instantly with the awful image.

Elijah smiled in that calm way of his and pulled his mother into his arms to comfort her.

Just as he was doing so, Finn came in from the kitchen door. "What happened, is this about the explosion? I was listening to it on the radio on my way here." It still baffled Finn how he only listened to the news station ever since Kol left on duty.

Rebekah joined them in the kitchen. "Kol might be hurt." she didn't hide how worried she was.

Finn sighed reaching for his phone but not without stroking her face with tenderness. "I know a reporter that is covering that area, he might know something about the attack…"

Esther pulled away from Elijah at once. "Do that, call him at once."

Finn smiled with her urging gestures and then with the familiar voice that came from the other side of the line. "Nate, how are you mate? I'm calling in for a bit of a favor…" he left to the living room to carry on with the call and nodded at Nik as he came inside the house.

The two brothers touched each other's shoulders before Nik went into the kitchen. "I'm sure Kol is all right."

Esther shook her head taming the tears that she didn't want to shed in front of her children. "I just need to talk to him." her voice broke down. "Why did I let him go to that awful place in the first place?"

Nik smiled. "Because he isn't twelve anymore and he makes his own choices in life now."

"Going away to fight a war that isn't his… I should have chained him in the basement and kept him here instead of allowing him to join the army." Esther rubbed her chest, her heart was aching in concern.

Nik sat next to his sister in the kitchen counter seating area and quickly sent a message to his girlfriend, it was obvious that lunch with her was out of the question, this was bound to last.

Finn returned to the kitchen. "Good news, Nate says that he saw Kol last night and that his unit was sent to a smaller town to help with a medicine load that was going to be delivered today. So far there are no reports of incidents aside from that bomb in Kabul."

Esther clasped her hands together and closed her eyes. "Thank the Lord..." she whispered, how she missed her rebel son that spent his days watching TV and speaking on the phone with his best friend. She gasped, his best friend. "Someone should call Bonnie, the poor girl is probably immensely worried."

Rebekah waved her cell. "On it mother."

"Are we calling his 560 girlfriends as well? His harem will be camping out in the front loan if news travel of his impending danger." Nik said calmly.

The others burst into laughter but their mother paid them no attention, she knew Kol was special. "Kol just has a lot of love inside of him to share." she picked up a bottle of wine from the vast collection in the kitchen cabinet. "With the five hundred and such girls he left crying their hearts out when he went away to war." she laughed softly.

Rebekah scoffed. "Amazing how you sound proud of him; he did nothing all day but eat and sleep, he spent his nights partying and you act like he is the golden child. I'm younger than him, I should be treated like the baby of the house, not him."

"Jealousy is not pretty Bekah." Esther said with a peculiar stare.

Rebekah pouted in her seat, it just wasn't fair.

Esther grabbed a few glasses and handed the bottle to Elijah, he took his suit jacket off and easily opened the wine, pouring a fair share for everyone who took a seat at what was still the heart of the house for them.  
Somehow they all liked the kitchen island more than they liked the actual dinning table.

"Is Bonnie still dating that detective fella?" Finn asked from the stool next to Nik's.

"As far as I'm aware she's engaged to him." Rebekah said smiling at Elijah who handed her a glass of wine.

"I wish Kol would just realize how perfect Bonnie is for him, she's the only one who understands him." Esther said with a genuine sigh.

"Actually, that's you mother." Nik said having a large sip from his drink smirking into it as Esther gave him a gentle slap on the side of his head.

Everyone grinned because of it and Esther couldn't hold back a smile either. "He's my little baby."

"NAWWW..." They all answered at the same time.

Esther rolled her eyes. "You don't make an effort to understand."

Rebekah and Nik laughed knowing the speech by heart but it still didn't stop their mother.

"Finn is married now with a baby on its way and Nik is in a long and steady relationship, and Elijah is…" she looked at her famous lawyer son.

"Gay?" Finn asked from the rim of his glass propelling a few giggles from Rebekah and causing Nik to choke on his drink.

Elijah smiled at his older brother with disdain while Esther had a deep breath.

"You are all impossible." she resigned and poured more wine into her glass.

There was noise by the front door and a bubbly voice echoed through the house. " _Hello?_ "

"We are all in the kitchen dear." Esther answered warmly.

A tall beautiful blonde came in smiling at the group. "Hey everyone."

They all returned the easy smile and she stopped behind the man sitting between Rebekah and Finn, she touched his neck and he moved his head so he could kiss her.

"Hello sweetheart." Nik sweetly greeted his long time girlfriend.

She kissed him lovingly while stroking his stubble but they didn't linger knowing all eyes were on them.

"Do you want wine Caroline?" Finn asked grabbing a glass for her.

"Sure." she smiled and stood behind Nik leaving a hand leisurely playing with his necklaces.

"I'm making lunch, everyone is here and I'm going to do something grand to eat." Esther started roaming through the pans and set on a plan.

"I have a big trial and I haven't prepared at all." Elijah grabbed his jacket but his mother gave him a stern look so he sat back on the stool. "But I can call April and ask her to bring me the files here."

Esther smiled happy and moved to the freezer removing a huge piece of meat. "Finn call Sage, tell her to come for lunch."

There was no arguing with the Mikaelson matriarch and Caroline always found it amusing how they were all these really tough big guys who commanded respect by just being in a room but did exactly what their mother ordered them, like they were five and they did it without a single loud complain.

"Are you calling your boyfriend as well?" Nik asked his sister.

"We are currently taking a minor break from each other. He thinks that I'm spoiled." Rebekah said annoyed.

"Blasphemy." Nik said serious and shaking his head with a dramatic squint.

She punched his arm. "I'm not spoiled, I just don't enjoy not having my way in everything."

"He has dared to say no to you?" Nik kept his teasing spree.

"He's a sweetheart but I don't think that I'm ready for something like you and Caroline have." she looked at the girl engaged in a conversation with Elijah who now stood behind Rebekah.

Nik smiled. "I'm not ready for what Caroline and I have."

Rebekah laughed. "Maybe I'll call him later then…"

Nik poured some more wine for her. "You do that and if he says no to you again, send me a message and I'll go break his legs."

Rebekah laughed louder now but felt like she was melting inside.

* * *

"Thank you." the woman said trying to stop her sobbing fit.

Bonnie smiled warmly at her and then stroked the little boy's hair, he was holding his mother's hand and looking a bit scared. "Are you hungry little one?"

The boy looked up at his mother afraid to answer and Bonnie gulped down her tears, it always messed with her the condition these women arrived to the shelter house after going through so much.  
They usually endured a great deal of beating and humiliation before it took them the strength to break free from abusive marriages and relationships.

The woman now clutching a few broken ribs and the hand of a scared young boy was no exception.

Nonetheless Bonnie tried to show a strong face to encourage the woman. "There is food in the kitchen and then someone will show you the room where you will be staying with your son."

"I can't pay for any of this…" the woman said with shame.

"This is a place for you to rest and find your way back. Don't worry about that now, tomorrow after you settle down we will talk about school options for your son and a way to get your life back. This is only a transitional shelter but you can stay here for as long as you need."

The tears came down silently from the woman and she nodded gripping Bonnie's hand. "Thank you." she repeated not knowing what else to say.

Bonnie smiled and waved at one of the volunteers to show them the way to the kitchen.  
Another volunteer girl handed Bonnie a few papers that she had to sign and a big bill that had to be paid soon.

Bonnie left to her small office knowing she would have to call her father asking for more money but she would swallow her pride like always, she needed to help these women that showed up at her doorstep desperate and hopeless.  
Quickly she checked on her messages and sat roughly on her chair when she reached the one from Rebekah's.

Bonnie pressed her stomach worried, she didn't need this on top of everything else.  
She looked at the frame that lived on her desk, a picture of her and Kol making a really silly face, tongues sticking out and eyes pulled together.

Bonnie took the picture that made everyone laugh without seeing the really beauty behind it, this was the perfect way to describe her best friend.  
Kol was silly and fun and took nothing serious.

He was also very impulsive and he stunned everyone when he decided to enlist.  
Now they all lived on edge worrying about him, specially with the constant news of American casualties.

She was stroking the picture thinking of how much she missed him when a small knock on the door stole her attention.

"Hey." Luka said with a smile.

She returned the smile and stood up kissing him back when he came near her.

"Are you ready for lunch?" she nodded at him but he recognized the concern on her face. "Is everything ok?"

Bonnie closed her jacket slowly. "Rebekah sent me a message, they thought that maybe Kol had been hurt in some explosion but thankfully it was just false alarm."

Luka was instantly distraught, he knew she was close to the Mikaelson since high-school but still their friendship left him unbalanced, not to mention deeply irked.  
Somehow Kol was always in the middle of every conversation or joke and the only time he had been out with Bonnie and Kol at the same time, they had spent dinner laughing at things only they understood.

Good thing he had a serious talk with Kol because after that the Mikaelson decided to join the army and leave.  
Still Luka remembered with hatred the day he found Bonnie crying because Kol sent her a letter saying he wouldn't be coming home on leave and instead going on another long tour.

Luka had been with Bonnie for only two years now but they had been constantly under the shadow of the other one and that wasn't something he enjoyed, in fact it was starting to rub him off in all the wrong ways.

"I just wish that he would come back home already or that he hadn't left at all in the first place." she confessed.

"He's doing something useful with his life for a change." Luka dropped dryly.

Bonnie knew why Luka couldn't stand Kol, he was a known womanizer and prone to get into trouble.  
Luka himself had bailed him out of a few problems on Bonnie's request but still she would defend Kol no matter what and against anyone trying to judge him or his choices.

"We should hurry, I have a busy afternoon." she grabbed her bag and left the office without much affection.

Luka grimaced, now she was upset with him and like always they would end up fighting over the stupid kid that he wanted to throw into prison and forget where he kept the key.  
He tucked his weapon and removed his badge, knowing as well that she hated how he walked around the shelter with it.

* * *

"Oh my God… you are huge." Caroline said while slowly sitting down and staring at Sage.

"Thank you Care." Sage said with a raised eyebrow and stroking her pregnant belly.

"I mean… it's really wonderful and all but you are big." Caroline shot in her usual way.

They were all used to it and like Nik, they all found her adorable even when she was inconvenient.

"I think she looks perfect and beautiful." Finn said kissing Sage with love.

Caroline pursed her lips. "Cuteness overload."

"When are you going to try one of these?" Sage asked her while entwining her fingers with Finn's and resting them over her big belly.

"Oh. I can't… I'm way too busy with the gallery and Nik is busy with the winery." Caroline laughed and shook her head trying to dismiss the conversation altogether or at least shift the topic.

"You mean the family business that I run with him?" Finn asked her astutely.

Caroline buried her silence into a big glass of wine, she just moved in with Nik, that was the biggest step she expected out of a relationship with him.  
Nik was closed up and a bit damaged from a bad relationship with his estranged father, a baby was very out of the question for at least the next 50 years.

* * *

"These are the accusation files and this is our first appeal. I've bookmarked everything." April explained handing the iMac to Elijah.

"Thank you April, if I had known my mother was turning this into one of the family gatherings, I would have brought this with me when I left the office this morning."

"That's all right Elijah." she said tucking her short dark hair. "That's why you pay me so well." she cutely smiled.

"April!" Esther interrupted them with joy as she barged into the living room. "Lovely, are you staying for lunch? I will add a plate at the table."

"Oh no, don't bother Mrs. Mikaelson. I have a lot of work back at the office and I should return to it."

"Elijah makes you work too hard." she scolded her son and then said goodbye to the pretty girl.

April searched for her phone attempting to look busy. "I'll see you later Elijah, if not, first thing tomorrow." she awkwardly smiled after staring at him for the longest bit.

"Yes." he said clearing his throat after returning the stare.

Once outside she rested against the front door wanting the universe to answer her the most urgent question of them all, why was her boss so damn handsome and dashing?

* * *

**Kabul**

Kol jumped down from the Red Cross chopper and helped to unload the boxes, he was just handing one to another soldier in his unit when a man rushed to his side.  
He was a reporter from what Kol could tell because of the vest and the ID he had dangling around his neck as he ran.

"Hey Mikaelson, remember me?"

Kol shrugged. "Everyone looks the same after a while in here."

"Nate..." the man introduced himself. "I went to college with your brother Finn?"

Kol nodded as he picked up another box. "I think you had dinner once at the house."

"I did. Look…" the man shouted so he could be heard over the loud sound of the chopper. "… he called me today because your mother freaked out when she found out about the explosion in town."

The rest of his unit started laughing and Kol sighed deeply.  
He was across the world, at war, and his mother still managed to embarrass him in front of his friends.

"Thanks Nate." he looked away from the reporter upset.

The man actually smiled at him like he had been helpful at all.

"Sergeant Mikaelson?" Another man shouted coming closer, it was a uniform this time.

"Well, aren't I the popular one today?" he sneered recognizing what the man was holding in his hand.

He handed him a folded paper and then nodded once before turning away.  
Kol opened the paper with new orders, expecting to be sent out again on another mission but he had to read everything twice as the words left him bewildered.

"Sarge?" someone from his unit asked curious.

"Where are we going now?" Another one asked trying to read the paper himself.

"Home." Kol said with a growing smile. "We are being sent home."

The men were more than euphoric, they had been on tour for almost 15 months now, being rotated within their tour of duty.   
Their own fault to be honest for being so damn good at what they did but like them, as much as Kol loved this new life, he missed his family.

And he missed her.  
Kol clutched the paper in his hand happy, he was going to see those green eyes of hers soon.

* * *

**Soundtrack:**

Between the raindrops –  _Lifehouse ft. Natasha Bedingfield_


	2. Back home

Esther narrowed her eyes harder trying to read the small letters, she sighed and shook her head; this new computer that Elijah gave her for her birthday was too small, she was already used to the dirty old big piece that belonged to Nik when he was still back in High school.  
After searching half the cabinets in the kitchen, she finally found her glasses and sat back down at the kitchen table fondling with the iMac that she could easily fit into a purse, one too many technology developments if anyone asked her.

After a few stressful clicks she managed to get to the page she wanted, an independent blog that posted daily news about what really went down in Afghanistan.  
She avoided the new videos available because she learned her lesson well from the first two she watched curious only to regret it deeply, the violence almost propelled her to a heart attack.

Although listed as an unofficial site, daily reports for casualties could be found and her heart always clenched as that list grew bigger with each day, somewhere across the world another mother was doing the same as she was and having sleepless nights worrying about her child.  
Esther shook the tears away and had a sip from her large mug with relaxing tea, none of the casualties were from American troops, still she felt sad and closed the iMac.

The phone started ringing and she smiled recognizing the number. "Are you coming over for lunch?"

 _"I can't mother… I have to work."_ Elijah said in his usual way.

Always the serious one, her son. "Well, you could find an hour between all those big cases you have and come over to visit your mother, I could use the company."

_"I just called to check on you mother, I can't linger. I'm in court and the recess is ending already."_

"You didn't have a break of 3 minutes Elijah." she scowled him so there was a heavy sigh from her son.

_"I will come over for dinner."_

Esther smiled. "I will make your favorite, Red fish on the stove."

 _"That's not my favorite mother, that's Finn's."_ Elijah laughed.  _"I have to go now."_

Esther looked at her phone with a frown, she was sure it was Elijah who loved red fish.

The phone rang again in her hand and she saw Finn's name. "How is Sage and the baby?"

 _"I love you too mother."_ he mumbled jealous of the attention his wife had instead of him.

Esther dismissed it all easily. "How are my girls this morning?"

_"They are fine mother and I'm just calling to know if you are feeling better from the attack you had yesterday."_

"It was not an attack Finn, I was worried about your brother."

 _"So you are feeling better?"  
_  
A sound disturbed the call and Esther looked at the screen to find she had another incoming call. "Hold on Finn." she put him on hold and quickly accepted the other call. "Good morning Nik."  
 __  
"Did I leave my leather jacket there, I can't find it."

Esther pursed her lips. "I'm fine Nik, no need to worry about me."

 _"I'm not worried."_  he said easily.

Astonishing how Nik was just that bit disconnected, she found Caroline a heroine for being able to barge through Nik's steel doors. "Your jacket is not here and I'm on the phone with Finn that called concerned about his mother."

_"I need to talk to him, I forgot to tell him that the meeting was rescheduled for tomorrow."_

Esther gave up on her sons, they would now start talking and forget about her so she ended both calls and turned her attention to food, Rebekah was back at college so it would be lunch just for her and that was dreadful, Esther loved cooking and having the house full.

Suddenly there was a knock in the front door and Esther wasn't too excited about that either, at this hour it was probably just someone trying to sell her something or asking for money.  
She removed her glasses and prepared for a well-rehearsed speech but nothing prepared her for the shock.

The hazel eyes, the easy happy smile… her little one was standing there.

"Why have you not warned me saying that you were returning?" she snapped mad.

Kol smiled warmly at his mother.

"A simple call would have been enough Kol." she said truly upset.

But he knew his mother well and dropped the army bag on the ground and took her into his arms, Esther was crying before he fully enclosed her in his embrace. "If I had done that, you would be crying before I even ended the call."

Esther pulled away from him and cupped his baby features with her hands. "Are you all right? Are you hurt?" she inspected him quickly and Kol expected her to fully lift his shirt and check for wound marks, she did however move his hazelnut hair and searched for any scars in his forehead.

Kol retrieved his head away from her reach. "Mother I'm fine."

She smiled with his sigh, to her he was still 14 and arriving home after some silly scruff with another boy at the school.  
Esther stroked his face with her thumbs and nodded, her baby boy was home and he was safe.

* * *

Caroline fixed the painting for the second time, it still didn't look right to her and she stubbornly tried to make it stand perfectly in the middle of the wall.  
The girl who worked for her didn't dare to say anything, her boss was a perfectionist and nothing stood inside her gallery without a double-check or a touch from her.

But that's why  **Original**  was the best gallery in New York, every artist dreamed to be shown here but very few were picked by Caroline's flawless eye.  
She also had the hottest boyfriend that happened to just walk in, the girl smiled at him but like always he completely ignored her and went to the stylish woman wearing all black and a red short jacket matching the big shoes.

"Hey." Caroline broke into a huge smile when she saw him and kissed him at once when he came closer. "This is a good surprise." she laced her arms around his neck easily.

Her assistant pretended to be busy but kept looking back at the couple.

"I was around." Nik said and kissed her a little longer this time, tracing her back with his big hand.

Caroline moved her hand to the back of his neck. "You just came to see the new exhibition."

Nik knew she was on to him, they did meet in an art exposition and she was very aware of his passion for anything related to the arts.  
He looked at the wall when she moved a bit allowing him to do what he came here determined, she kept one arm around him though and stroked the side of his face and his stubble while he analyzed the painting.

"I like his use of colors." Nik said after a while.

Caroline moved her fingers to the back of his neck watching him, she found him more interesting anyway. "When will you let me do an exhibition with your work?"

Nik laughed so she took his chin to make him look at her. "I'm serious. I do this for a living and I have a house full of amazing canvas that should be seen by others Nik."

He smiled at her. "That painting isn't hanging right."

She looked at the wall ready to leave his warmth and go fix the disaster but tilted her head back at him with a silly smile.  
Wasn't he just the hilarious one poking her control issues?

Nik leaned over and cupped her face; he pulled her closer and kissed her slowly but powerfully like he always did, ending the silly subject at once.

* * *

Bonnie ruffled the hair on the boy's head and smiled at him, he had a huge chocolate and his grin came covered in the sweet bar that he was enjoying, his mother was filling the mandatory forms so that Bonnie could start linking her to a job.  
Sadly she could tell the woman didn't have much education or skills, the lines were just being left blank one after the other.

The woman rested the pen and took her head instead, about to start crying again. "I never worked… he did and he always provided everything… maybe this was a mistake." she looked at Bonnie.

She had seen too many of these cases and knew exactly how every woman reacted after the first hours away from the only reality they knew so she took the pad away and closed it. "Don't worry, we will find a way."

The woman looked at her son lost in heaven with the chocolate and nodded at Bonnie.

"You have a reason to do this, just hold on to that." Bonnie encouraged the woman.

"Thank you." she simply replied.

Bonnie stayed a little longer with mother and son but she had a funny feeling today, her chest was tight and she had no rational explanation to it.  
When she left instead of going to her office, she went outside the big house that she turned into a safe haven, it was beginning to be very small for all the women that searched for her help but she still refused to send anyone away, it just wasn't her.

It was a chilly day in New York, it looked like that it would rain and she pushed her long cardigan closer to her body sitting down on the front stairs.  
Bonnie checked her constantly busy phone but didn't read all messages, most of them were from her distant mother who occasionally remembered she had a daughter and Bonnie didn't have to read those to know she was asking for money again.

The other messages she ignored with guilt, they were from Luka and she was still upset by his silly remarks targeting Kol.  
She dropped her phone on the stairs next to her and folded her arms with a big sigh, she just felt so strange today.

Bonnie randomly looked down the street but grew serious and doubted her sight for a second.  
She slowly stood up and roughly stepped down the stairs, she had to be wrong, it just couldn't be.

The man walking down the street with a swag to him, the brown cool jacket and the smile that now showed on his lips had to be her imagination and Bonnie covered her mouth with a nervous smile.  
No, he was really here.

She just started running, she ran as fast as she could down the street and once she was close to him, she literally threw herself into his arms certain that he was going to catch her.

"You're back, you're back, you're back…" she kept repeating holding on to him as close as she could.

But Kol was holding her tightly as well and he closed his eyes taking in the sweet perfume so characteristic to her and that he had missed so much.

Bonnie hauled away from him with a giant smile but a hint to a few happy tears. "When you did you get back?"

"Just now." he said slowly touching her face, he outlined it with his eyes equally, his memory hadn't been fair to him, she was even more beautiful than he remembered and her hair was longer and the eyes greener.

She laughed and shook his touch away. "Don't tell me that war made you all softy."

He snapped out of his daze, the tricky part was just beginning now. "No, but when I drink now it all comes out through the bullet holes I have."

Bonnie laughed loudly and grabbed his jacket over his chest. "Ugh, I missed your jokes."

"I haven't missed you at all, I didn't even think about you while I was away. In fact I can't remember your name anymore…" he narrowed his eyes.

Bonnie gave him a dry laughter. "Well funny guy, you can buy me lunch and tell me all about it."

He gasped and took her shoulders harshly. "Bonnie, I am craving for Chinese."

"You cheap." she rolled her eyes teasing him.

Kol moved and laced his arm around her shoulders as they started walking down the street. "Actually I forgot my wallet home, I'm still not used to carry money and ID around."

"Uh! Do you have dog tags?" she tried to move his collar to see them but he slapped her hand away.

"Try not to undress me in the middle of the street, it's rude."

She laughed and her arm went around his waist so that she could lean against him. "I missed you Kol."

He smiled resting his head against hers softly. "I missed you too B."

* * *

Rebekah waited by his pickup truck and moved her leg from one side to the other, she was watching a few girls practicing a cheerleader routine and she smiled remembering her high-school days.  
In college she just couldn't find the time to do it all so she gave up on that and tried to focus on her studies and her boyfriend.

An unfamiliar car stopped near Matt's truck and a tall man with dirty-blonde hair stepped outside with easiness.  
Rebekah's eyes met his and he smiled at her, they locked stares until he finally turned his head away from her but she kept looking after him until he was out of her sight, that was one fine behind.

"Beks?" Matt called again.

She looked at him acknowledging him for the first time since he arrived to her side. "Hello."

Matt laughed. "Are you ok?"

"Sorry, I was drifting away thinking about… History." she used the first class she could think of.

Matt leaned over to kiss her. "Need the escort to your first class?"

She nodded with a smile. "Sure…"

He rested his arm over her shoulder and walked with her to the building. "I have a game tomorrow so I'm stuck at practice all afternoon, I can't take you home after your classes."

She shook her head giving it no importance. "I'll call one of my brothers, don't worry about it."

He smiled and quickly kissed her again before playing with one of her long blonde locks. "I love you." he said walking away knowing she wouldn't answer.

She waved at him sweetly, that was all she could give him, sometimes she felt that she would only be able to love her family with all of her and no one else.

Rebekah made way to the auditorium and greeted a few girls before taking her seat.

One of the cute guys turned on his chair to face her. "Hey did you hear? We have a new teacher this semester; they finally sent Mrs. Rice to retirement."

"I liked her… she was sweet." Rebekah said sad.

The kid laughed and looked at the door with a nod. "Guess that's him..."

Rebekah searched the door and felt her smile fade, it was the man from the parking lot which was a surprise.

He dropped his bag on the table and sat against it facing a big crowd. "The name is Vaughn and I'm your new teacher." he said with a deep accent.

One that Rebekah couldn't place and she took a lock of her hair twirling it around her finger smiling again, History was after all her favorite class.

* * *

"It's moving Kol, I swear it's alive." Bonnie poked something on her plate.

"I think you are right." he came closer and touched it with his finger.

She shrieked when it made a squishy sound. "I'm not eating that."

He smirked at her. "I dare you."

"It was your idea to try the  _China Surprise_." she said appalled.

"Well… surprise." he laughed.

Bonnie shoved him away from her. "Then you eat the surprise, I'm sticking to my boring noodles."

Kol sighed. "You are so dramatic sometimes B..." he easily grabbed the dark piece of foreign food and ate it. "It's surprisingly crunchy."

"Stop!" she pushed her food away unable to keep eating and gave him a stern look.

He became serious like someone wanting to redeem. "Can I buy you fried ice cream as an apology?"

She nodded like a little kid.

Kol moved his hand to call for the waiter and Bonnie caught the chain around his neck, she easily pulled the tags from under his Henley and Kol gulped down because he wasn't expecting it and also because Bonnie was very close to him now.

She was looking at the tags and ran her thumb over the engraved letters with a smile. "Sergeant Kol Mikaelson." her green eyes looked for his. "You didn't tell me that you made it to Sergeant."

There wasn't a smile from him now. "A lot of things happened out there…"

Bonnie rested the tags against his chest padding them gently. "In here as well."

He forced his teeth together. "Your last letter was interesting... how is your fiancé?" he looked at the ugly ring on her finger.

Bonnie moved away from him touching it and he could feel the change in her, she wasn't the same loose Bonnie with Luka, she didn't smile or laughed, everything was tamed around the cop.

"Luka is good… to me. And it was natural to say yes when he asked me to marry him, I wished you had been here at the time but I had to let you know. After all, you are my best friend." she added sweetly and smiled at the waiter that came with the ice cream.

"Bonnie…" he tried to say what he was building courage for the last hour.

She savored one of her favorite desserts and deflected the conversation back at him. "So… do we have a bunch of mini JI-Joe's on the way?" she teased him eager to get back to the fun part of their talk.

He shook his head. "I behaved."

She laughed with her mouth full and covered it with her hand. "It's going to be fun dodging all those crazy blondes that missed you."

He smiled but it came with no will, Kol closed his hand gently padding the table with his fist. "I had time to think about a lot of things in my life Bonnie." he looked at her. "When you don't have much to do besides trying to stay alive, you suddenly become aware of all the things you have been blind to."

Bonnie ate slowly afraid of where he was going with this, there was something unusual about Kol, he seemed different to her. Less boyish and carefree and more mature in contradiction.

"I couldn't stop thinking about…" he gathered his thoughts and faced her determined to say what was heavy on his heart.

But they were interrupted by a man who called for Bonnie's name approaching the table.

She looked baffled at him. "Luka, what are you doing here?"

He dropped her cell on the table with a loud noise. "You forgot that on the stairs outside of  **Haven**  and I have been looking for you all over town, worried that something happened to you."

Bonnie took the phone and tucked her hair behind her ear. "I'm sorry, I totally spaced out. Kol is back and…" she smiled looking at the Mikaelson.

Kol was staring at Luka not a bit amused, Bonnie was not a criminal nor a stray dog and he hated that Luka treated her like both.

"Yeah… welcome back." Luka forced a smiled.

Kol didn't bother.

Bonnie stood up. "It's getting late and I have to get back to the shelter… call me one of these days?" she looked at Kol.

"I'll call you later today." he said easily and smiled.

Bonnie gave him a look but he wasn't budging and she should be expecting that things would be awkward between Luka and him, still it made everyone uncomfortable.

"I'll see you around." Luka told Kol and kissed Bonnie when she came closer but the girl barely answered him.

Kol smirked. "I'll be around."

Bonnie waved at him and left hand in hand with the detective that looked back at Kol.  
The Mikaelson lost the smirk once they were gone; so this was going to be harder than anticipated.

He paid for the meal and stopped a cab outside, a few blocks later he found himself at the head office of the family business. The vineyard that was in the family for centuries produced the exquisite wine that was responsible for all the Mikaelson's fortune and was administrated by Nik and Finn that held shares divided in equal parts with the rest of the siblings, the other half of majority was held by their mother Esther who still decided everything regarding the family trade.

Kol smiled at his brothers when he came into the office.

Instantly Finn took his neck fiercely and made a stern face. "My brother the soldier! Has the army made a man out of you at last?"

"Not a chance in all hell." he answered back serious.

Finn laughed and slapped his face playfully. "I had high hopes..."

Kol smirked and sat at one of the big chairs in front of the desk dropping his boots on top of the table, Nik took the other chair and easily placed his boots on Kol's chair pushing him away from the table.  
Kol laughed and grabbed a baseball ball that Finn kept in his desk tossing it in the air and easily catching it as it came down.

"Where did you go? Mother called us as soon as you left the house." Nik asked him catching the ball when Kol tossed it at him.

"I went to see Bonnie…" he said catching the ball that Nik returned.

Finn poured a drink for everyone. "Can't say that was a shock."

Kol looked at the ball. "I did realize something when I was away that might shock you all." When the room became covered in silence, he looked at his brothers. "I expected reactions of some sorts."

Finn handed Nik a drink and then neared Kol. "You mean that you finally realized that you have been in love with the same girl for years but basically decided to ignore it because you were friends? And that you took Bonnie for granted all this time, never noticing the really hot woman she turned into and how perfect she was for you?"

Kol took the drink hastily from Finn's hand. "Your deduction skills are highly envied, maybe you could have told me this sooner? Before I left and allowed her to get engaged to Detective Loser?"

Finn shrugged. "You had to figure it out for yourself."

Kol knew his older brother was right and looked at Nik. "Can we keep this to ourselves though? I don't need everyone tossing their opinions my way. I'm back now and I intend to break that engagement and get the girl." he said determined.

Nik nodded fondling with his phone. "KOL!" he snapped when the baseball ball smacked him in the shoulder.

"That means no texting Bekah with the news." Kol pointed his finger angrily at him.

Nik opened his arms, touchy little one.

Kol's phone started buzzing and he answered Elijah's call with a smile. "Elijah, where are you?"  
 _  
"At court… what is this I hear that you finally acknowledged your feelings for the beautiful Bonnie?"_

Kol lost his smile scolding Nik and Finn who had their drinks trying to look innocent, it was literally impossible to keep a secret within this family.

* * *

 **Soundtrack** :

Just the way you are -  _Bruno Mars_


	3. Strong women

 

Bonnie smiled watching the kids running around playing in the smaller playground, the flock of girls paid to watch over them were as usual all gathered by the benches discussing nail polish and surely one or two cases of infidelity with their bosses.  
Her smile grew bigger when the tall blonde rushed to her in her high platform pink shoes.

"Excuse me, excuse me..." she wiggled her way between a few jogging girls and rushed to Bonnie fighting with the sand.

Bonnie laughed because of all the funny faces Caroline made when her shoes started digging into the unstable ground.

"Sorry..." Caroline said all apologetic-like and joining her shoulders together. "I brought bagels." she flashed an amazing smile.

Bonnie lifted her hand. "Your coffee is cold."

Caroline took the cup and the swing next to Bonnie's. "I got delayed…"

Bonnie chuckled into her coffee pretty much guessing why. "It's ok."

Caroline crossed her long legs and gave Bonnie one of the bagels, then she started moving slowly back and forth on her swing using her heels. "Nik told me that Kol is back."

Bonnie's smile was sweet and warm. "Yes, thank God he made it home safe. We had lunch already yesterday."

"And…" Caroline tilted her head.

Bonnie shrugged and moved on her swing without care. "And we had lunch. He insisted on trying something very strange and I made him eat it alone."

"And…"

Bonnie sighed shoving a piece of bagel into her mouth. "And you can stop. He is my best friend, that's all there is to it."

Caroline made a dreamy face. "I was late because I just had amazing, hot, steamy morning sex with my best friend."

Bonnie shook her head. "I have a boyfriend Care, Kol is just my friend."

The blonde moved on her swing so that she was facing Bonnie. "Kol is more than that, he has to be. When he was seeing that sheslut that shall not be named and you found out, you were crying in my gallery for an hour before you even told me what that was all about."

"I was just worried about him and I was right in the end because she completely turned out to be the sheslut that I suspected."

Caroline rocked her swing lazily. "I still think that you are in love with him and just to polish things a bit, Luka is your fiancé now, not your boyfriend."

Bonnie gritted her teeth together mad for the slip. "That's what I meant, of course."

Caroline shook her head all teasingly and grabbed the chains on her swing, which made Bonnie see the really long expensive bracelet around her wrist.

"Wow… what is that?"

The blonde pursed her lips and gave Bonnie a shameless smile with her head to the side. "Amazing, hot and steamy morning sex."

"Are those diamonds?"

Caroline squealed like a little girl. "I mentioned something to Nik and he surprised me this morning."

"I could pay a lot of bills with that bracelet alone." Bonnie mumbled.

Caroline felt bad and picked up the coffee cup trapped between her legs. "I already told you that I could help with the money."

Bonnie shook her head vehemently. "You already did that charity event at Original and it helped a lot of women so I'll manage with the rest, don't worry about it."

"Maybe we could do another one… and I know just the right artist for it. Someone new and exciting with outstanding work that needs a good launching event." Caroline beamed excited. "Charity for my favorite organization is just the perfect event."

"You don't have to do this…" Bonnie assured her.

But Caroline was decided and stood searching her short navy style jacket for something. "I will text Siri right away, she can start planning a good time window between exhibitions. I need a little time to organize everything but I will let you know when I have a date so we can work on pamphlets and advertise it on Facebook and all that. My people will contact your people." she giggled.

"I am the only  _people_  that I have." Bonnie simply said in awe of everything that Caroline was.

Her friend laughed and moved to hug her tightly. "This will be awesome."

"You are awesome and I bet Nik gets all turned on when he sees you on full Caroline mode."

The blonde sighed deeply lost in thoughts that Bonnie didn't want to know.

"I have to go." Bonnie grabbed her bag.

The two girls made their way through the park checking the hot men jogging and laughed when they stopped and ran backwards flirting with them.

* * *

"I know that I have a deadline but I am asking for just a little more time. I have a house full of women that don't have many reasons to laugh and I really can't afford to go around crushing the last of their hopes with this. Can't you please help me out here?" Bonnie tried her best pleading tone on the phone and smiled when the man seemed to cave in.

She finished her call happy that at least she managed to postpone the dreadful visit from the New York officials, her license was ending but that was the very least of her problems.  
The shelter was overcrowded and falling apart, one or two rooms were already with a leaking roof and she knew the officials would shut her down as soon as they stepped inside.

One of the volunteers smiled at her leaving after a night shift and Bonnie returned it with a thankful smile, she still found hope and strength in all the amazing volunteers that kept showing at her door eager to help.  
After Bonnie gathered the mail, mostly consisting of bills to pay, she headed to her office to start a new day but a big commotion slowed her down.

The findings were surprising to say the least and she stopped by the door where Kol was having an entertaining talk with a group of women surrounding him.  
Now, was she really that surprised?

He moved his head while laughing and his hair fell in that certain way, he touched his chest like he always did without realizing and Bonnie leaned against the threshold watching it all with that weird feeling again.  
Kol was undeniably different, the silly rebel undertone to him was still there but something changed in him.

His hazel eyes scanned the room like he was expecting her to be there and she slightly nodded at him when he saw her.  
The women grimaced because he was leaving but his attention was all for Bonnie now.

"Hello." he grinned at her.

"What are you doing?" she pulled him to the side whispering.

"Restoring their faith in men." he answered without shame.

Bonnie looked at him serious for a minute before reacting, he squinted expecting something and it came blazing out of her.  
She grabbed the ridiculous amount of mail and started hitting him hard with it, Kol laughed dodging most of the hits but she managed to shove him away to her office with harsh pounds in his shoulder.

"You are just impossible." she huffed her hair away from her face closing the door.

He rubbed his shoulder hurting. "I'm doing something good for them." he made a painful expression when she looked at him.

Bonnie dropped her things on the table. "Yes, you are a God sent gift to all women."

He sneered. "I wouldn't be  _that_  exaggerated."

She took her jacket off. "I'm trying to help them overcome traumatic episodes and you come along with your charm and your easy flirt to confuse them." she shook her head upset. "I can't even put on words how inappropriate you are sometimes."

He lost the smirk but his eyes came alive watching the petite woman all ranting and mad at him, he wanted to smack his head against the wall for losing all that time around her without noticing how stunning she was, as well as hot when she was mad.

"I won't come around anymore then." he sat on one of the chairs in front of her desk.

Bonnie sat at the edge of her desk looking at him. "You don't have to be all extreme…"

Kol smiled and they shared a long look that she was the first to break, she looked down on her lap and he caught the way she slightly shook her head like she always did when she was troubled but he didn't dare to wish it was because of him. "So my mother is throwing a dinner party tonight and of course that you are invited to it."

She faced him smiling. "Tons of food and wine?"

He opened his arms casually. "It's ironic that we sell the one thing that we can't get enough at the house. We are all leading a sordid affair with wine, I'm surprised Elijah shows up sober to his trials." Bonnie laughed loudly and her entire body shook with it, and what a sight that was. "My mother said it starts around nine so we should be there at seven." he stood up ready to leave. "Before they finish all the good wine." he warned her.

She smiled sweetly at him. "See you at six then."

* * *

Finn looked at the door judging Nik who sneaked in for the meeting late, he approached him quietly and sat giving his older brother a small smile.

"You are late." Finn told him off.

Nik smiled wider, showing his dimples. "I was delayed."

Finn gave him a sad look. "Wait until the baby comes, then you will never be delayed again." When Nik gave him a scared look Finn leaned over so he could whisper. "I miss my wife."

Nik squinted. "This is turning very uncomfortable for me."

Finn sighed deeply and looked away to endure the boring meeting, he was alone in his misery, not that he wasn't over the moon with the baby, he was but he missed Sage and it was getting hard to handle all the built up tension.  
Nik gave his brother a side look and took his phone, quickly sending a message to Rebekah.

* * *

"… I don't think I need to go on about the 100 years war, Lord knows how boring that was." Vaughn said and the entire class burst into laughter.

Rebekah didn't laugh, she just stared at her teacher with a naughty look, she could bet he was everything but boring.  
Her phone vibrated on the table and she checked on it.

**Finn is horny. Send help.**

She smiled and replied to Nik quickly.  **My History teacher is hot, I'm hoping for detention.**

His reply was so quick that she didn't have time to leave the conversation.  **I'm sure Donovan will be delighted.**

Rebekah closed that conversation and texted Kol instead.  **Finn is stressing out because he can't have sex with Sage.**

Kol answered in his own witty way.  **Should we worry for Nik?** **They spend all that time alone in the office.**

Rebekah burst into a laughter that she had to tame by covering her mouth while a few other students gave her a judging look.  **Have lunch with me?**

The answer came with a smiley and she left it at that.

The hot teacher dismissed the class and she gathered her things slowly, she was one of the last to leave and made it to the door when the teacher called after her. "Miss Mikaelson?"

Rebekah frowned looking back.

"I'm concerned when my students prefer their shiny iPhones to my lectures." he looked up from his desk. "It tells me that I'm doing a poor job at teaching them something interesting for a change."

She licked her bottom lip slowly. "It won't happen again, I assure you of it. I actually find your teaching methods rather appealing." When he smiled she felt this strange dangerous excitement about it.

"You wouldn't be trying to smooth your way out of this would you? Compliments don't usually work on me Rebekah."

Rebekah lingered her eyes on the hot teacher before answering him, she moved her long hair out of the way and the books that shielded her generous cleavage under a sexy top. "Like I said, it won't happen again… Vaughn."

She left knowing exactly how much effect she had on men and made way to the parking lot where Kol was waiting for her.

She rushed inside the SUV happy to see him again. "Prick."

"Brat." he returned the compliment and drove away.

* * *

April straightened her hair and took the files close to her chest, she took one final deep breath and knocked on his door before stepping inside.  
Elijah was buried among his huge books of law and doing the first draft of an appeal.

"I got those files you asked for." she left them neatly on the right, he may be surrounded by books but everything had an order in Elijah's desk.

"Thank you April." he said without looking at her, he didn't want to break the line of thought he was engaged in.

April remained as she was, drooling over the perfect hair, the back of his neck that she caught before the white classy shirt graced his wide shoulders, the perfect handwriting that he left on the pad.  
It was too many things to list and she forced herself to return to normal function.

"Is there anything else that you wish me to do?" she asked gazing over to his strong features.

Elijah ripped the page he was working on and handed it to her. "Will you land the old man a hand and proofread that? I feel like I'm not making much sense today."

She swiftly took the page. "Don't be silly Elijah, you always make sense and your appeals are epic."

He chuckled and leaned back on his chair. "I'm finding it hard to be epic when I'm defending a mother who stole from her own daughter."

April quickly went through the amazing display of Elijah's marvelous mind on her hands. "Keep in mind that her daughter was going to use the money to start a cult that worshiped the devil." Elijah laughed easily and April lifted her eyes from the paper wanting to see it.

"I love your peculiar perspective on the cases." he said.

She blushed and handed him back the paper. "I think the appeal is strong but I would change the end of it, I would make it more emotional because it barely brought a tear to my eye."

Elijah took the paper with a nod, he knew she was merely teasing him but he still would work on what she suggested, when April left the office he became somber but chose to bury himself among his books, he needed to chase away these silly thoughts regarding the young beautiful girl.

* * *

Rebekah sat on top of the picnic table in the park and opened her bag with fast food, she easily realized she had the wrong bag because of the intense smell of pickles and traded it with Kol's.

He started eating her fries under her judging glare. "A teacher? Really? How much of a cliché."

She took a big bite from her hamburger. "Sod off. You slept with your Literature teacher."

Kol held a French fry in the air with pose. "She had a lot to teach and I a lot to learn."

"Despicable." she made a grossed out face. "Besides I didn't do anything but find him extremely hot and I find it amazing how I told Nik this minutes ago and already you know about it."

"You knew about Bonnie before Elijah and neither of you were inside that office when I had that conversation with Finn and Nik."

Rebekah smiled at her brother. "Are you really in love?" He didn't answer but he didn't have to, she knew him well and it warmed her heart. "What's the plan of action?" she asked rescuing the rest of her fries from his appetite.

"Murder one cop, bury him in the woods and run away with the girl." he replied serious.

Rebekah nodded most serious. "I'll drive the getaway car."

They cracked up laughing.

"First I need to find a way to tell Bonnie how I feel without frightening her away."

Rebekah had her soda slowly. "You think she feels the same way? We all suspected that that really tight friendship was a lot more than any of you wanted to see."

"It's rather tricky to tell the woman to whom I gushed out my first sexual experience that I am madly in love with her and that while I was away with bullets running over my head, it was her that I kept thinking about."

Rebekah played with her straw. "How hard was it for you to read about Luka and the surprising engagement?"

"It wasn't surprising at all Bekah. Bonnie comes from a shattered home, her mother is a drug addicted, her father is a workaholic and she always found support in our family. When I left, she felt disconnected and Detective Loser was around stepping in like the cartoon hero that he is." Kol said sourly.

"Why did you leave?"

Kol looked at his sister in answer, he still couldn't believe how fast he fell for Luka's tale about being toxic for Bonnie and representing everything she didn't need in her life.

* * *

Esther had to rush, she still wanted to check on the desserts before they all started arriving.  
She was picking up her earrings when Finn knocked on her door.

"Mother?"

"You are already here? I still have so much to do."

He laughed with her concerned tone and stepped inside to kiss her on the cheek. "We have enough food to feast the entire neighborhood."

Esther snapped her hand in the air annoyed and grabbed the necklace Elijah gave her for her birthday. "Help me with this." she turned her back on Finn so he could lock the necklace. "I heard that you are having some trouble dealing with Sage's current situation."

Finn was appalled. "How…" he closed his eyes mad. "I am going to murder Nik"

Esther faced him with a smile. "You can talk to me about anything Finn."

"I will certainly not address these issues with my mother." he was dazed.

She smiled and took his strong determined features into her hands. "You are my oldest son and I know that none of you turned out like Mikael for which I am thankful but your father started drifting away whenever I was pregnant and what I assumed was only his manly ways to deal with the way I didn't reply as strongly as he did to sex, soon turned out to be something much more painful by the time Rebekah was born. He wasn't just shaming me for not feeling as attractive as the women he would seek outside our marriage but he also disrespected me on so many other levels. Don't ever make Sage feel like that."

He shook his head horrified. "I would never do that to my wife, I love Sage deeply and I respect her. And I am excited about the baby, I only made a silly remark because Nik had this giant imprinted smile on his face and I was grumpy about it."

Esther took Finn's hands into hers, proud of her son and her thoughts drifted to the other one. "Caroline brings this side in Nik that none of us had seen before, he has always been the outcast and kept to himself, it's good to see him happy although we are not used to it."

"He's closer to us as well, Elijah said something the other day about that."

Esther squeezed his hands. "All my sons need a good strong woman by their side."

"I take it that you are happy with Kol's sudden awareness regarding Bonnie?"

Esther took his arm. "My little one may have been sleeping but I wasn't. Every time Bonnie had a new boyfriend, he went out and got himself the total opposite of her. Some needy insecure blonde that he wouldn't stand for more than a week."

Finn looked at his mother speechless, suddenly a lot made sense.

Nik met them at the bottom of the staircase waving a jacket in his hand. "I thought my jacket wasn't here?"

Esther remained neutral although she was itching to roll her eyes. "I believed that as well but why is it such a big deal? You have 10 more like that one."

Nik pursed his lips about to pout. "But this is my favorite one… I like the pockets of this one." he mumbled and left to keep it in his car before he forgot.

Esther came into the kitchen where his girlfriend was fighting to open a bottle, now if only someone could convince her that these matches weren't made in heaven.  
Nik was the stylish one out of them all, the necklaces, the very fashionable jackets and shirts left no doubt about it while Caroline was like a walking fashion statement on her own.

The bracelets and necklaces always fit for every occasion, the modern shoes or boots; the clothes that were straight out of every Fashion magazine and of course the flawless blonde hair that always looked nothing short but perfect.  
Then there was the smallest detail, they were both incredibly stubborn and strong-willed.

"Do you need help with that dear?" Esther asked getting glasses for everyone.

Caroline blew some hair away and handed the bottle to Finn. "Yes."

It was easy for him to open it and Nik came back bringing Elijah with him. "I found the noble one outside."

Elijah kissed his mother's cheek and took his share of wine leaving his suit jacket on the chair. "Where is everyone else?"

"Rebekah is having dinner with her boyfriend instead." Esther said definitely not amused.

"Sage is resting upstairs." Finn said scolding Nik with an angry gaze.

Nik frowned a bit lost but looked away when he suspected the judging cause.

There was noise by the front door and they heard Bonnie and Kol laugh.  
They came together into the kitchen where everyone gave them a grin as a welcome and Bonnie wasn't sure why they were all silently beaming but she was sort of used to the  _unique_ Mikaelson family.

"Hey." she raised her hand smiling back at them.

"Bonnie!" Esther said cheerfully, instantly taking the girl into a tight hug.

"Oh..." Bonnie was squished inside the hug and sort of hugged her back.

Kol looked at his mother serious and she rolled her eyes before releasing the girl.

"I had missed you in this house. Let me look at you." she stepped back and sighed. "Beautiful, you are just stunning every time I see you sweetheart."

Bonnie blushed while Kol narrowed his eyes upset at his mother.

She ignored him and went to get wine for them.

"I think they already had the good stuff..." Bonnie whispered at Kol.

He smiled but he knew someone just told Esther the one thing he wanted to keep a secret for now.

* * *

"But how will she pay you if she loses? She needs that money…" Bonnie asked Elijah trying to understand his latest case.

"That's a good question…" he narrowed his heavy eyebrows and took the rest of his wine silently.

"You should be a divorce lawyer, less hassle more money" Nik said from his seat with a teasing smile.

Elijah quickly returned with a witty remark but Bonnie drifted away from the talk entirely, dinner was practically over, at least for her.  
She couldn't eat anymore and she left the table to search for Kol who had disappeared for the last 15 minutes to take an important call.

She knew where to find him and expected to listen to some sex-related talk with one of the girls on his list when she reached the library.

_"… yes, that was my unit's responsibility but I thought that while we were gone another squad would assure our duties properly."_

Bonnie stopped at the last minute before going in.

" _Well, clearly that's not the case is it? I would have left at least a few of my men to ensure basic functions if someone had told me that they are utterly incapable of following simple orders that I've left written down."_

He sounded upset and by addition, strangely hot, Bonnie had her last wine in one take and peeked inside as he ended the call. "Is it safe Sergeant?"

He smiled easing his tense features. "Run, run as fast as you can because I want to shoot someone."

She easily came inside. "When did you become so tough? And with men under your orders and all that?"

"Admit that I left you marveled upon my outstanding military skills just now." he came nearer pointing his finger at her.

Bonnie grabbed his finger sternly. "There is still to come the day that you will do something able to sweep me off my feet." she finished with a smug smile.

He narrowed his lips. "You shouldn't have said that."

She released his finger and gave him a worried look, then he was so fast that he made her squeal loudly as she found herself dangling from his shoulder. "Put me down now."

He chuckled carrying her out of the room like she was just a random load he was carrying in the army.

She laughed realizing he wasn't putting her down. "I just had dinner Kol, I'm going to be sick."

"Whatever you do, don't ruin my one good leather jacket."

She giggled watching his fit ass inside the cool Jeans. "I'll try to remember that when I expel all that wine your brothers made me drink."

He was walking upstairs with her now, she was incredibly light as a feather to him. "I admire your resistance to the stuff to be honest."

"You know... I can walk to whatever doom destiny awaits me for mocking your outstanding military ability to shout into a phone." she tried to see where they were by lifting her head.

"Stand still, all that food my mother gave you is making you heavy." he teased her walking slowly now down the hallway.

She relaxed knowing where they were headed. "I'm used to the wine and food Kol, I grew up in this house."

Once they were inside his bedroom, he carefully took her down from his shoulder and helped her stand on her feet.  
She was laughing happily but it didn't last, he was brushing her hair away from her face looking at her with an unfamiliar smile, which was odd, considering she knew all of his smiles.

"So the army finally taught you how to handle a woman properly." she joked desperate to get out of the uncomfortable situation.

"I was about to demonstrate my cave man impersonation but you totally ruined the surprise."

She laughed happy that he was back to cool Kol, the one she knew too well. "I like my hair attached to my head, I'm not a fan of being dragged around." she took a look around his bedroom.

Kol opened one of the drawers and took an envelope that he handed to her.

She reached for it but wasn't happy when she saw what was inside. "What's this? Why are you giving me money?"

"I saw the way  **Haven** is falling apart and I asked around, you owe a lot of money Bonnie." he said wary.

She forced her teeth together. "Great... now you're making me feel ashamed that I'm so bad at this." she said unable to put a show with him.

Kol trapped her face between his hands. "Don't be ludicrous, you started as a volunteer after school and now you are in charge of that shelter and you are helping a lot of people mostly on your own, I can't be anything less than proud."

She gave him a look lacking all enthusiasm. "They will shut me down soon..."

"For now you pay the bills, later we will figure out something, together. I promise."

She wrinkled her lips thinking about it but she rather take Kol's money than ask her father. "I'll pay you back, every last dime of this." she waved the envelope.

"You better, since that's my Ferrari right there." he said all serious.

She softly pushed him away with a chuckle but he still kept her face under his touch, he was enjoying it too much to let her go just like that.

"Thank you…" she whispered with those green eyes sparkling at him.

He stroked her face unable to stop himself and kept his gaze on her, the air itself seemed to change inside the bedroom and just like back in her office earlier, they shared a long look but this time she held it.  
She wasn't sure but it seemed that he was pulling her closer to him and that she was moving willingly until a disturbing sound interrupted the way they were starting to hold their breaths.

Bonnie snapped out of it first and looked for her phone, she licked her dry lips while turning her back on Kol. "Hey Luka..."

Kol clenched his teeth mad, his loathe for the other man was just reaching a very dangerous limit.

* * *

**Soundtrack:**

Crush –  _David Archuleta_


	4. Scars

"Pivotal choice." he showed her two leather jackets.

Bonnie wrinkled her nose. "I don't like the black one."

Kol dropped the black jacket and tried the other one but Bonnie also looked unconvinced about the grey one. "No?" he asked shaking his head slowly.

She smiled. "It's not your type."

He turned around looking at the mirror. "Do you mean that it's not subtle yet sexy and flawless like me?" he asked with a silly rise of his eyebrow.

Bonnie got up on her tiptoes and rested her chin over his shoulder. "Exactly, oh perfect one."

Kol smiled looking at her through the mirror. "I have a problem darling."

"I'm shocked." she said pulling her eyebrows together.

"I spent two years wearing nothing but cammies and now I need new clothes but white, brown and green are not an option."

Bonnie pouted. "But I just saw the cutest leopard shirt and it screamed Kol."

"Show me the way." he wiggled his eyebrows.

Bonnie laughed and moved away from him to fondle over some long-sleeved shirts that were truly him.

Kol tried another black jacket. "Thank you for this…"

She picked up a few shirts with his size, sneakily getting one in dark brown into the mix. "It was the least I could do after what you did for me."

"I know that you are stubborn and proud but I expected you to tell me if you were in trouble during the ridiculously long letters you wrote me, not to find out how bad it all was only when I returned home."

Bonnie handed him the shirts with a sweet smile. "I was going to ask my father for the money."

He took the shirts frowning. "You rather ask your father than me? Between my estranged father and yours, who barely talks to you, let the devil come and pick which one he is dancing with."

Bonnie laughed. "Have I mentioned how much I missed you?"

"Not today." he said with a boyish happy smile.

* * *

Nik looked up from his desk surprised with the knock on the door, Finn was away to check on the vineyards and he was supposed to be going through some really boring numbers and statistics that he couldn't be bothered with today.  
He smiled because of the woman sneaking her head inside the office.

"Are you alone?"

"Yes, you just missed the mistress by an inch." he sighed.

Caroline came inside closing the door. "Are you sure she isn't hiding under the desk?"

Nik smiled showing his adorable dimples and stood up to walk to her. "Well, it's a rather big desk."

Caroline pursed her lips barely answering his kiss and she poked his chest. "I'm too pretty to go to prison so behave."

He nodded solemnly. "I promise sweetheart."

She crumbled into a smile and answered his second attempt to a proper kiss losing her fingers in his wonderful hair.  
His hand found her neck caressing it as they shared a long kiss and he stroked her cheek loving how she always tilted her head that certain way and how amazing she felt in his arms.

"Is there a reason behind the steamy visit?" he asked only brushing her lips now.

Her sweet look told him she was sneaky after all and when he stroked her chin, she didn't move her head but bit her lip like she was working her way to what she really wanted, lastly she started toying with his necklace.

"I'm doing another charity event for Bonnie, things at Haven have been really scarce and I want to help her."

"So very you." he said uneasy already to what would follow.

She smiled and moved her fingers to the buttons of his shirt. "And I want to do something unique that will attract a lot of people. My biggest clients love the new and unknown artists… so …" she looked up at him with loving and hopeful eyes. "… I want to do a showcase for this really amazing artist that the world needs to discover."

"No." Nik said pulling away upset.

But she was expecting it and she wasn't going to give up so easily. "Nik, please listen to me."

"You will not do this, you can't use my art without my permission and you do not have it."

She crossed her arms. "You are an outstanding artist and everyone should know what you are capable of."

He turned his back on her. "This discussion is over."

"Oh k..." Caroline opened her arms. "I didn't know this just turned into an argument."

"Because you are planning on using something that I don't want to share with others."

Caroline ignored his angry tone altogether. "Think about it at least? You a really good artist Nik."

He shook his head with a disdain laughter. "I'm simply average and the fact that I've shown you my poor attempts to do something worthy of being kept, does not give you any right over them."

She gritted her teeth mad and even let out a loud grunt. "Ugh, just because your father was an awful man who kept putting you down, it does not make him an expert in art. I am one and I'm telling you how amazing you are."

"I said no Caroline." he faced her furious that she dared to bring his father into this.

"I'm asking you to place your trust in me." she insisted.

"If you don't stop this nonsense, I will burn everything I ever did once I get home."

"Burn the entire house for all I care. God, you are so… mulish sometimes that I want to punch you in the face." she stormed away, slamming the door as she left.

Nik looked down on the desk, the silly horse he was making with felt pen only made him angrier now.

* * *

Kol gave Bonnie a judging look as they left the shop, he only noticed the brown shirt when he was already paying for it.

"Brown is your color." she said with the sweetest and most innocent smile ever.

"Well, you can't possibly refute facts. Since you've earned your food, what are we having for lunch?"

She looked around the huge amount of possibilities and decided quickly. "Pizza."

He slumped his shoulders. "I refuse to have something with pineapple in it."

"But I like pineapple..." she said naturally, like she always did every time they fought over food.

"I know, you are obsessed with it, you have pineapple with  _everything_."

Bonnie straightened her long hair. "I'm exotic, deal with it Kol."

She adorably turned her back on him and he couldn't help to think he loved everything about her.

* * *

"Was your mom too mad at you for skipping dinner with the family?" Matt asked while he had fun twirling a lock of her hair.

Rebekah shrugged. "It was game night and I wanted to see you win the game." he gave her one of those amazing smiles and his eyes sparkled so much that she found herself pulling him closer.

"I loved having you there."

She stroked the back of his neck slowly. "I wasn't too happy with the cheerleaders wanting a piece of you." she confessed making a sad face.

His hand on her back brought her closer just that inch that was missing between them. "Jealous Beks is the best."

She huffed and looked away but faltered into a smile because he kissed her cheek and then her neck and soon she was giggling. "You don't deserve that I go so jealous over you." she smugly said.

He smiled before searching for her lips and Rebekah easily caved sharing a long kiss with him.  
He held her close and kissed her with passion while she stroked his face happy and gave him a smile that made his chest hurt.

Before he said again that he loved her, she took charge and kissed him as passionately as he had before and that was enough for Matt, having the girl of his dreams in his arms while they kissed against his car, was more than enough.  
Her hand got lost stroking the skin on his neck and she made a tiny giggle because he moved his lips to her neck again tickling her.

She casually looked up expecting to find the annoying girls that coveted Matt but surprisingly caught Vaughn walking by them with his eyes fixed on her.  
She grew serious and returned the searing stare but was the first to break away and smile at Matt who caressed her cheek.

"Do you have class?" he asked sweetly.

She shook her head with a silly sting of guilt. "No, will you stay a little longer with me here?"

Matt didn't hide the surprise, Rebekah wasn't one to show much affection. "Of course."

She pulled him into another long kiss, she needed to quiet some disturbing thoughts.

* * *

Kol sighed annoyed while plucking all the pineapple from his slice, he gave Bonnie a very serious and disturbed look while doing it.

"You are so dramatic..." she easily said and started taking the pineapple away herself.

He slapped her hand. "That's the last time you choose pizza… I'm surprised they don't call it  _Exotic._ "

She smirked into her soda. "It's called Tropical and it beats that awful thing you like called Pepperoni." she made a gagging face.

He shook his slice getting rid of the last piece of that yellow thing and with that he was finally able to eat. "It's amazing how you can come to miss the simple things so much."

Bonnie chewed on the straw, building up her courage first. "How was it to be out there at war?"

Kol looked at her struck by the sudden question. "It was a duty that became something I actually enjoyed with time." he smiled ending the conversation and looking away.

Bonnie scooped closer to him. "Tell me."

"I know how incredibly fascinating I am but we could talk about you instead." he smiled.

"Kol, stop deflecting and answer my question." she demanded fiercely.

Lord help him, he wanted to grab her and kiss her right now, not talk.  
She remained serious while he focused on something random in front of him while going back to everything he experienced.

"People are able to do the most atrocious things in name of a God that no one really believes in anymore." he sadly smiled looking down. "That's the problem with people today. They've lost faith, and in that loss, they no longer know who they should fear, everything becomes acceptable as long as you can find an excuse for it all."

Bonnie held her drink tighter, she wondered about all the terrifying things that Kol saw and lived but she knew him well; as expected, he simply shifted directions. "Enough with the drama Bonnie Bennett, are you not surrounded by enough misery every day?"

She stood up. "Misery that I need to go back to."

"I love how accurately you address your cop friend."

She ignored his silly remark and went to dispose their leftovers, when she returned they walked slowly back to his car. "Have you called your harem yet? You are here wasting all this time with me and they won't be happy about that. I'm keeping you away from all those really intelligent women that you somehow manage to seduce." she teased him.

Out of nowhere Kol grabbed her hand and twirled her around, she landed with her back against his chest and he rested his face against hers in that sweet way they had grown used to. "You are such a bother B."

She held on to his arm laughing. "I deserve an award for putting up with you during all these years. When everyone else gave up, I still stayed by your side. I'm a saint." she sighed deeply and loudly.

"For which I am very grateful." he whispered and kissed her cheek before quickly twirling her around again.

She laughed harder facing him this time. "It only took you two years away to finally acknowledge how important I am in your life, I'm so proud of you." she said with a stern nod.

He cupped her cheek with a sweet smile. "You  _are_  important to me."

Bonnie's smile faded but her green eyes seemed to shine in a different way and she slowly moved away from his touch that became less playful on her cheek. "I need to go back to the shelter." she fought to smile again.

"I'll take you." he gathered his control.

But she was still struggling with hers. "I'll walk, it's near and I could use it to digest all that pineapple I just had."

Kol knew that she was running away from him as fast as she could. "Bonnie... we need to talk." he said willing to push her just a little more.

"I know what you're going to say..." she quickly shook her head. "But don't do this. Don't ruin everything by saying how much you hate Luka and how bad he is for me. I made my choice Kol and this is it for me, I only need my best friend to support me." she asked him with tears dancing in her eyes.

"I am your best friend... I've been stuck with the gig since you tripped and fell on my lap during lunch, wearing the cutest braces and curly hair." again he couldn't help himself and touched her long satin hair.

"That's not the right version of the story, on the first day of high-school you grabbed me out of nowhere and sat me down on your lap saying that I looked perfect to teach you all about math."

"You make it sound all dirty now." he smiled amused.

She grabbed his jacket with a soft laughter. "I need you Kol. You have been a part of my life for so long and the one consistency in it, the one that never left. Can I count on you one last time before I become a married woman?"

"You can always rely on me darling." he said serious and with the saddest tone behind it all.

"Good." she sweetly kissed his cheek before pulling away with a big smile. "Call me when you need to go shopping again, you know how much I love making you buy stuff you don't really like."

He opened the door of his car and stood there watching her walk away, this was so much harder than he thought it would be, balancing the easiness of their friendship with what he really wanted without scaring her away was a true challenge.

* * *

Elijah was deeply invested in his long written speech, he was rereading it and searching for anything he might need to change when April knocked on his door.

"Yes?"

"There's someone here to see you." April said by the door.

When he looked up he wasn't expecting anyone and let alone the tall elegant woman who made way inside the office ignoring April altogether.

"Hello Elijah."

He nodded at April so that she would close the door and leave them alone and the other woman sat in one of the chairs crossing her long legs and not bothering to push the short skirt down an inch.

"What can I do for you Katherine?" he asked even though he returned to his written appeal.

She moved her black stiletto in circle movements in front of her. "You could drop your client."

He smiled without facing her. "I hope you had other affairs in the neighborhood or this was a wasted journey."

There was a slow moan from her while she played with one of her curls. "The Elijah affair is always worth my time."

Elijah slowly faced her. "What do you want?"

She entwined her fingers. "My client really wants that money. She wants to invest it all in an… independent religion."

"A cult." he assisted her lack of words.

"It's not my place to judge Elijah." she said shamelessly.

"I'm going to win this case Katherine."

She left the chair seductively looking at him. "I know that you are, that's exactly what I told my idiot client and finally last night she saw the light." Katherine opened her bag on top of his desk and then dropped a heavy file on it. "She's willing to give up half the money that she's legally entitled to so we settle this out of court. That way you are free to go defend the weak and the helpless and I win a new pair of Louboutin shoes." she pulled her shoulders together adorably. "Win, win."

He slightly shook his head with her lack of values but she pursed her lips at him, eating him up with her eyes.

"I miss our internship years."

Elijah remained silent but he looked after the woman with the flawless curves as she walked away.

Katherine stopped by the door with one last look at him. "I really miss the long nights..." she tapped her fingers on the door relishing in old memories before she left like she always did, as powerful as she claimed an entrance and owner of the moment.

Elijah folded his speech, there was no need for it anymore, Katherine was also an excellent lawyer and the deal was the best for both, he knew that even before he opened the file she left for him.

* * *

Kol looked at the red sign waiting for it to turn green, ironically it described his life right now perfectly.  
He casually looked at the rear-view mirror frowning when a black car stopped behind his and a man stepped outside.

Luka looked around the empty street before reaching Kol's window. "Quiet neighborhood."

"Anything I can do for you officer?" Kol asked in his most calm voice, verging the mocking attire of course.

"You could stay the hell away from my girl." he bluntly said.

Kol shrugged. "She's been my friend before you even knew how to properly clean your gun."

Luka chuckled. "Well… she's with me now and we will be getting married soon. Not to mention that she's just your friend but she's with me during our busy nights."

Now, Kol had learned at least five different ways to kill someone but he could simply hurt him.  
He could easily slam Luka's head against the wheel so hard that he would need to fetch for his nose and then there was the bat he always kept in his trunk.

It literally took all of his restrains to remain as still as he was, the army taught him well after all and that was a shock.

Luka leaned away from the window after an intense staring moment. "It would be great if you left, you were a bad influence on Bonnie in the past with your playboy life so you can guess how upset I am that you came back and that you keep hogging my girl."

"I'm not going anywhere… sorry darling, I won't fall for it this time. When I left, Bonnie was in charge of her life, I return and her work is falling apart, she's barely smiling and the only one I can blame is you. Amazing work Detective, I hope you are better at catching criminals than you are making a woman happy." Kol smiled spiking the other man.

Luka nodded looking around again. "Drive safely home Kol… sometimes quiet neighborhoods are surprising. And see about that tail light, will you? I'm letting you go without a fine this time, consider it a warning."

Kol squinted when he heard the noise, Luka smashed the light of his car with the back of his gun, he closed his hand around the wheel and remained motionless as the cop raced away in his car, things were only getting interesting now.

* * *

Esther expected Kol but took her glasses off when her _troubled one_  strutted inside the kitchen, she turned away from the flowers she was fitting in the large vase and followed Nik's movements, when he silently sat at the kitchen island, she dropped her glasses on the table and went to her son. "What happened?"

"You always complain that I never visit my mother." he said simply opening his arms.

She pulled the long sleeves of her cardigan up and took a bottle of wine, she poured one big glass for Nik and had hers slowly. "Is it Caroline?"

"We had a spat..." he mumbled taking his wine.

"You are a couple, it happens Nik."

"Thank you mother, that was truly insightful. I wonder why I don't reach out more often for your wisdom." he said annoyed.

Esther dropped her glass on the counter and he slightly twitched in his seat. "I know that your temper is different from the others but there's only so much I will let you get away with, Niklaus."

He nodded.

Esther poured more wine for them. "What was the fight about?"

"She wants to showcase my work for one of her charity events."

"I'm genuinely surprised she hasn't done it before." Esther easily said which made him clench his jaw upset, however Esther was immune to Nik's tantrums. "You are very talented Nik, even if you don't acknowledge it."

"I don't want all of New York to see my renditions on a painting." he snapped.

"Mikael was a despicable man and it took me too long to realize it, and then to do something about it. And he used every chance to put your spirit down so instead of following your dream, you became distant and secluded in your own world. As an outcast you had your feelings spread all over a canvas and I know that it's scary for others to see those feelings Nik but somewhere out there is an estranged and outcast boy who will connect to your work and find strength to do what he likes because he will relate. Think about that." she touched his hand smiling.

Nik looked at his mother and smiled, it was very rare for him to feel this connected with anyone besides Caroline.

She leaned over a bit and whispered. "Now go home and have wonderful angry sex."

"Mother!" he yanked his hand away from her and made a really disgusted face that made her laugh.

* * *

He was still fighting with the wine and the talk he just had when he saw Kol pull into the driveway. "Mother just talked about sex with me, I'm very disturbed."

Kol smiled locking his car. "She showed me pamphlets with explicit pictures when I turned 15…"

Nik laughed. "That actually explains so much." he stopped just before reaching his car. "What happened to your car?"

"Detective Loser." Kol said nonchalant.

"Do we need to call Elijah and start working on your defense?" Nik asked worried.

"I didn't touch him…" Kol assured him before going inside the house.

Nik took his cellphone and dialed Elijah's number quickly.

" _My case just solved itself._ " Elijah said with a strange tone.

"Good, that means that you now have the time to come over to the house and check on Kol… something is off. I don't really know what but either way, I have no time to find out as it turns out I had a lovely fight with Caroline earlier today." he said getting inside his car.

_"I had a visit from Katherine."_

Nik smirked. "Are your clothes still intact?"

 _"My feelings are not."_ Elijah grimaced into the call.  _"But I will talk to Kol."_

"Fantastic, now I need to go home and… grovel." he ended his call with a big grumble.

* * *

Kol took his jacket off tossing it to the bed, he called Bonnie but she didn't answer his call and he couldn't help but think he might have pushed her too far today.  
He knew her better than this, she would never cheat on the other moron even if he was able to turn this around and take things out of their  _friends comfort zone_.

Still the nagging thought was there, perhaps she only saw the old Kol but he was different, he wasn't the same man he was when he enlisted.  
Kol took his shirt off and looked at the mirror, he moved the army name tags out of the way and touched the small scar he had near his heart.

How could he be the same? When a bullet almost ended his life.

* * *

**Soundtrack:**

Starlight -  _Muse_


	5. Moments

"Hello mother." Elijah greeted her after closing the front door, once he sat on the sofa with her, he kissed her on the cheek.

Esther was deeply entertained with a TV remote. "I'm looking for my favorite show but this new box that saves it, is not working." she sounded truly aghast about it.

Elijah rested his suit jacket on the sofa and took the remote from her. "Am I looking for some cooking show or a reality one?" he easily found the list of recorded shows.

"The Walking Dead." Esther answered excited, her son gave her a strange look that made her chuckle. "Nik was the one that mentioned it the other day and now I'm addicted. It's about zombies but there are two surviving human groups fighting each other as well, I find it absolutely discerning, a perfect analogy for what this world has become." she carried on with the same excitement.

"I'm slightly concerned that my mother finds zombies appealing and truth illuminating."

She sipped from her tea mug. "Nonsense, the truth is that I truly enjoy the way that the zombies are killed and all those gory scenes."

Elijah focused on the TV again, the talk was slightly bizarre for him to handle without a laugh. "Mother… the show starts in a few minutes, that's why you couldn't find it."

Esther was visibly surprised. "I was convinced that it was aired yesterday."

Elijah smiled amused. "You have always been very distracted mother but maybe you should cut a bit on the wine, it's getting a little silly how you mix up things mother..."

"Elijah Mikaelson, show some respect." she severely told him off.

He grew serious and stood up at once. "I need to speak to Kol." he quickly exited the room before he truly got into trouble.

Elijah found his brother in the house library going through some pictures.

"Are you running away from mother?" Kol chuckled.

"And you are reminiscing about the old days?" he asked folding his sleeves up and easing a few buttons on the shirt, Kol showed him a picture and Elijah smiled watching a very adorable little Rebekah riding a pink bike. "I believe she was 12 when that was taken."

Kol closed the album. "I was looking for a picture of father... Is it odd that I can't remember how he looks like anymore?"

"He left shortly after Rebekah was born and you weren't more than 2 at the time so it's normal that you don't remember him."

"I saw him once, you know? Around the time that I was 14, I was waiting for Finn outside of my school and this unknown man approached me and said that he was my father. I said he was mistaken and that I didn't have a father but three brothers instead and he just walked away."

Elijah leaned over in the sofa. "Did something happen in Afghanistan that you have hidden from us?"

Kol smiled. "Yes, I became a responsible man and it's absolutely atrocious."

"I'm a lawyer Kol, I can call a turn aside when I see one."

"Nik sent you, didn't he?"

"What happened to your car?"

Kol went to the small bar in the library and took two glasses and a bottle of bourbon. "Luka is not pleased that I have returned and carried on with my friendship avec  _his girl_ , as he kept repeating today."

Elijah took his glass calmly. "It was expected, he saw you as a big threat and while you were away, there was no competition."

"I wanted to be mad at her for settling for someone like him but then I started thinking that I'm not really any better than him. I have nothing to show for myself except for the really devious behavior that she knows all about."

His older brother didn't hold back the smile. "You also know all about her. And that's saying a lot, she's very beautiful and strong and her work is remarkable, the selflessness in it…" Elijah stopped his speech upon the quiet scolding from Kol.

"Is there anything in particular that you would like to share? Perhaps some hidden feelings for the woman I'm after?" Kol asked with a grunt before drinking.

Instead of addressing the obvious jealousy in Kol, Elijah came forward with something else that was heavy on his heart. "I might have developed a very wrong attraction for someone younger."

"April is stunning." Kol was direct and fast forward like his brother knew he would be.

"She's also very young and working for me." Elijah said with doom.

Kol maneuvered the bottle and refilled the glasses. "Who cares? If it's mutual and you both want it, just act on it. Tomorrow when you arrive to the office, kiss April and then have sex with her on your desk."

Elijah's reaction was to look away from Kol exasperated.

"After you remove the files from your desk and order them by color and size of course, we don't want you distracted while you are trying to impress her." Kol smirked into his glass.

"Interesting advice, do you follow them or just randomly give away these pearls?"

Kol lost his smile. "I wish I could just grab Bonnie and kiss her to oblivion but she would hate me for treating her like all the others I used for entertainment."

"A true quandary." Elijah finished his drink but held his glass for a generous refill, he could sense that Kol was in need of the company.

* * *

Caroline watched him arrive by the corner of her eye, he left the keys on the small table in the lobby and lost his leather jacket before he sat next to her.  
She kept looking at the TV and twiddling a lock of her hair lazily, when he became aware that she wasn't going to speak or even look at him, he stood up and went to their bedroom.

Caroline grabbed a small pillow tucking it against her chest and hugged her knees trying to find comfort, she wasn't going to be the first to budge but it didn't take him long to return to her side.  
When their favorite show began, they watched it in silence.

She fought through the first minutes but she missed his arms around her and she missed hiding her face in the crook of his neck during the most scary parts and when the really action packed scenes began she glanced over to him, Nik smiled a bit and instantly pulled her to him.

While she snuggled against his chest, Nik soothed her with his big hand on her back and then played with a few streaks of her hair. "I don't know how to do this, I never apologized to anyone before." he finally broke and told her.

Caroline played with one of his necklaces. "I'm not being biased towards your talent, the fact that I love you so much has nothing to do with my good eye for the Art."

He took her shoulder softly and moved her so that she could face him. "I keep thinking that he is going to show up drunk and mock everything I did. Or drop black paint over the canvas saying that they look better this way…" Nik explained, indulging in one of the most painful memories of his father.

Caroline held his cheek tenderly. "He was a terrible man but you will let him win if you keep hiding your passion."

He moved her long hair so that he could stroke the side of her neck. "Are we exposing as well the very detailed portrayal I made of you naked?"

She smiled because he was smiling too. "You are too jealous for that."

He nodded. "I'm not compromising on sharing the woman I love."

The smile faded into a heart racing moment, she wasn't expecting the statement from him but he was smiling and he kissed her slowly before teasing her lips with the tip of his tongue, it was an invitation that she quickly answered by parting her lips for him.  
She tugged his hair as the kiss deepened and slowly moved to lay on the sofa pulling him down with her, once comfortable under him she sneaked her hands under his shirt so she could feel all of his soft naked skin.

Nik seemed more interested in kissing her than removing the sexy pink nighty she was wearing and powerfully kept her tongue busy while holding her a little above from the couch, closer to him for just a little longer, her warmth was every bit of happiness that he ever felt.  
The kisses followed but Caroline's hand was roaming from his back to his chest, going over his tattoo without lingering there, she kissed him back as passionate as he did but her hands drifted to his belt, there were some urges that she couldn't postpone for so long.

The eager touch making contact with his desire for her finally made him react the way she needed him to and his hands were now warming her skin as he removed the flowing piece from her body along with her underwear, his lips started covering inch after inch of her white complexion until his earn became unstoppable as well.  
Caroline smiled elated and closed her eyes with a throaty moan when he nested himself deeply inside of her, then as he started going in and out with a beautiful slow pace, she wrapped herself around him and arched her back hoping he would harden his thrusts a bit.

The screams from the undead in the TV were easily replaced by other blissful sounds coming from the couch as he easily complied.

* * *

Rebekah turned on her bed again, she couldn't sleep with all the noise coming from the family den and stormed out of her room determined to do something about it.  
She crossed her arms angry once she reached the origin of what was keeping her away from precious beauty sleep that she needed.

"Why are you ruining my beauty?"

"You are far too pretty already." Kol shot with a bottle in his hand.

Elijah tried to talk but he looked even worse than Kol and held on to the desk after the sudden movement of looking up to his sister.

Rebekah took a deep long breath. "I can't sleep with all the loud laughter."

Kol became serious. "Elijah is teaching me how to play Golf."

"It's a wonderful game." Elijah said in a poised way but lost his balance again.

"You are both heavily intoxicated and using a baseball bat to hit a baseball ball pretending to be Golf and roaring extremely loud about it all." she hissed opening her arms furious.

"We didn't have the right equipment but we still had fun." Kol smiled and looked at Elijah who used the bottle he was holding to make a toast with him.

Rebekah gave up on them with a storming exit and locked herself in her bedroom but she could still hear them laughing so sleep was out of the question, she took her laptop from her bag and decided to make herself busy.  
After checking her emails quickly, she decided to visit the college site for any news, there wasn't much to keep her interested and with a hint of guilt she clicked on the list of teachers and searched for the one that was definitely interesting to her.

He was hot and he had a really charismatic presence and the way he looked at her left her unstable but sending him an email so out of the blue would be a mistake so she quickly closed her laptop and pushed the thoughts away, she had a boyfriend and she had to focus on that.

* * *

Bonnie smiled at him and tried to get into the same mood he was but tonight was just one of those nights.

Luka himself was very in his own world and kissed down her neck while his hands were already opening her shirt, she smiled again when he moved away from her removing his own shirt.  
He kissed her when he came back to her and she relaxed a bit, kissing was always something she could do easily and she wished he would for once take things slower but his hands were eager and already pulling her skirt up.

Bonnie made a small uncomfortable noise and he stopped to look at her.

Another smile left her lips but he pulled away from her upset. "What's with you tonight?"

She naturally lost the smile. "I'm sorry… I'm not really… in the mood for this. I can't focus, there's a lot on my mind." she tried to explain without blushing. "And I don't feel like having sex tonight."

Luka sat up and harshly picked his shirt from the floor. "It's fine."

She pulled her shirt together covering herself and pulled the skirt down feeling embarrassed. "I'm sorry."

"Stop apologizing." he said trying to sound less annoyed than he really was, he leaned over kissing her quickly on the lips and barely stroked her cheek. "It's fine, really, don't worry about it."

"Then why are you leaving?" she knelt on the couch watching him grab his badge and his gun with a cold manner.

"I'm not angry but I need a cold beer."

He simply replied but she could see how much he was restraining from telling or even yelling at her and she merely nodded at him.

"I'll call you tomorrow." he smiled and left her small apartment without looking back.

Bonnie slumped back on the couch facing the ceiling, what the hell was wrong with her?  
She wasn't the most enthusiastic sex lover but she enjoyed it nonetheless and Luka was sort of sweet most of the times, so why was she finding it hard to go any further than kissing him lately?

She shut her mind at once before it gave her the answer she already knew.  
Her phone started ringing and although it was really late, she instantly went to answer it, if it was from the shelter she had to take the call.

Only that it wasn't, it was an unknown number and she hesitated before taking the call. "Yes?"

_"Miss Bonnie Bennett?"_

Bonnie grew instantly worried. "Yes, that's me..."

" _We are calling from the LA Memorial Hospital, we have a patient here that was admitted with urgency today and you are listed as her emergency number."_

Bonnie sat roughly in the first chair she found, her chest was tight with the news that followed.

* * *

Esther opened the curtains with a loud noise and the sun horribly coming inside the room made Kol and Elijah grumble and shy away from it.  
She opened the glass door allowing fresh air inside and smiled because they were both struggling to know where they had spent the night.

"What time is it?" Kol asked with a huge headache.

"Time for Elijah to go to work and for you to shower so I can clean this house and get rid of this horrible bourbon smell."

Elijah stood up and tried to make anything out of his hair. "I will call you later mother." he tried to kiss her cheek before leaving but she just shook her head.

"Get away from me, you reek Elijah."

He was truly appalled by the comment and left troubled while Kol stretched his arms and left to his room for a shower.

* * *

He was just finishing getting dressed when Bonnie stormed inside of his bedroom "Kol?"

He immediately noticed how agitated she was. "What happened?"

"I got a call from a hospital in LA and my mom was admitted yesterday, the police found her in some drug house and she OD'd on heroine and now they don't know if she's going to survive at all…" she shook her head a bit lost and started pacing around his room. "I know that she left and that I should hate her for it but she's my mother and she kept sending me messages that I ignored and now…" she faced him hopeless.

"I will go to LA with you." he immediately said and smiled moving closer to her.

She sniffled holding back the tears she already cried inside of her car on the way here. "I was afraid you wouldn't say that."

"Silly B…" he warmly teased her and then pulled her into his arms.

Bonnie felt soothed at once and stayed in his embrace with closed eyes.

* * *

"Everything is fine with the baby, she's just a beautiful little girl." the doctor informed them.

Sage smiled happy and looked at Finn who appeared as awestruck as the first time he witnessed the sonograms.

He pointed at the little screen. "Is she smiling? She seems to be smiling, maybe she knows that we are watching her."

The doctor pulled Sage's shirt down and chuckled, all fathers were the same. "I suggest that you start packing your bag Sage, your baby girl will be here soon."

Sage nodded and looked at Finn again, he was holding her hand tightly in his and bent down to kiss her on the lips, with that the doctor quietly gave them a little alone time.

"We should pick the name before she pops out, you know?" Sage stroked his face with love.

Finn became a little paler. "I've been watching a few videos online about birth… it's been very elucidating but also terrifying."

Sage laughed. "Oh Finn… you are about to faint."

"I'm all right… just, don't expect any home videos of the event itself because… no." he shook his head vehemently.

"You are so silly, all I want is for our baby girl to be here and safe." she looked down on her belly.

Finn gently caressed it before bending down and kissing it with love. "We can barely wait to see you, Violet."

"Violet?" Sage asked grimacing.

"I fancy it." Finn looked at his wife hoping that she would like this choice, she hadn't approved of the other 50 names he suggested.

"I'm not naming my daughter after a flower." she said slowly declining his suggestion.

"We need to find a name soon." he simply said knowing now that Rose was out of the question as well.

* * *

Kol paid for the tickets while Bonnie made a few calls to ensure Haven was under control until she returned.

"Add that to the money I owe you already." she said taking the tickets with gloom, Kol smiled at her but she could tell something was off. "You don't have to go to Los Angeles with me." she reassured him.

"It's not that B…" he gently took her elbow and moved them to a more private corner in the Airport.

Bonnie was genuinely concerned. "What is it then?"

"I intended to tell you this under very different circumstances but I find myself without a choice now."

His serious tone was leaving her anxious but she didn't speak, he always needed the dramatic build up before saying something important and if she made a single sound ow he would deflect and make a joke.

"Bonnie…" he touched her arm preparing her while she clutched her plane ticket. "… I was shot."

"What?" she asked unable to process the information at first.

He took both her arms this time. "There was an ambush and my Unit was caught, they took away our vests and our arms before taking us as prisoners..."

Bonnie felt her eyes sting with tears. "You were shot?" she was still slowly processing it all.

"We managed to escape after a few hours in their campsite but as we were battling our way out, we lost part of the Unit and I was shot in the heart."

She touched her mouth wanting to cover the desperate cry that wanted to come forward. "How could you keep this from us?"

"You know my mother, she would fly to war zone and demand clean sheets and set up watch next to my bed."

In any other occasion she would laugh because of his silly yet true comment but right now all she felt was the overwhelming will to cry. "You were shot…" she said again.

"I had surgery and they removed the bullet but there's still a fragment in there because it was so close to my heart so they had to leave it there and it will show in the metal detectors so I have to warn the security before going through."

She slowly nodded before looking down from him. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want to worry everyone and I had to bribe a few so that they didn't officially inform the family… or you." he said cupping her chin.

Her green eyes looked sad and full of pain. "I could have lost you Kol, I deserved to know."

"It happened right before my leave last year, so instead of coming home I stayed in the hospital."

The wheels worked fast and her face gave it away, it had been around the time she got engaged and for him it must have been like being shot twice, one hurting more than the other.

Bonnie took his arms fiercely, gripping his jacket in her tiny hands with determination. "I love you."

Every bit of blood left him in that second and he tried to cope with the sudden dizzy fit.

"You are my best friend." she carried on. "I can't afford to lose you, I need you and letting you go to war was the hardest thing I ever endured until today when you told me this. My worst nightmare was not getting you back."

"I am back…" he smiled sad that her words weren't what he wanted to hear.

"Ok." she said while the tears just kept on falling.

Kol wanted to shield her from all this pain but he did owe her the truth. "And the scar only makes me that more interesting and sexy now." he easily turned the mood around.

She shook her head barely laughing. "Yeah Rambo, I bet that's your new pick up line."

"I don't need that B, everyone is naturally drawn to my charm."

She gave him an honest look and smiled. "Not all of us fall for the act Kol."

"Right..." he mumbled discouraged.

* * *

When they finally sat on the plane, she was exhausted and closed her eyes resting against her seat, he could tell how fatigued she was and partially it was his fault, still he had a chance to be alone with her and tried to do a bit of damage control.

"Is your detective meeting us in LA?" he asked just to make sure he was privileged to have her just for himself for a few days.

Bonnie opened her eyes and moved her head heavily showing him there was trouble in Detective Loser paradise. "He doesn't know, I tried to call him but he didn't answer my calls and I didn't want to leave him a message."

He tried to be very casual looking at her for more information.

"Our night ended in a sour way when things didn't go as he expected." she said slowly.

Kol twisted in his seat troubled. "Did he hurt you? Did he try anything that you didn't want Bonnie?"

Bonnie looked at him somewhat surprised though she should be used to Kol's protection ways. "It wasn't like that, he just left and then I got the call from the hospital, plus he is not Jamie Turner who you decided to give a new face to because he groped me in the parking lot."

Kol smirked. "Such fun and warm memories."

She glared at him but truthfully she hadn't been that upset at the time, after that no other boy at school dared to touch her or disrespect her in any way.  
Just that Luka was not a fat kid with pimples, he was her fiancé and a cop.

Again she closed her eyes tired from not sleeping after the call, tired from her life in general and she startled when she felt hands on her shoulders.  
It was Kol gently pulling her closer to him.

"You are doing that a lot today…" she sort of protested but nested her head on his chest.

"My chest may have a small dent in its holly perfection but it still is more comfortable than your seat." he said in a low warm voice.

Bonnie mumbled a weak yes and after closing her eyes fell asleep instantly, he checked the sunny day outside and stroked her long satin hair sinfully indulging in this little piece of heaven.

"I'm sorry, but you have to wake up your girlfriend, she needs to have her seatbelt on and sit in the upright position for takeoff." some blonde woman said in a blue uniform.

Kol flashed his best smile. "That's all right darling, she's safer with me."

The woman awkwardly smiled enchanted with the flawless combination of the right smile and the right look.

"Can you get us a blanket though? She will be sleeping during the entire flight for sure."

"Of course." the woman easily surrendered to Kol's easy flirt.

He sighed, how he could get used to having her addressed as his girlfriend.

* * *

**Soundtrack:**

Back to you -  _Bryan Adams_


	6. The truth between us

She tried to make anything decent out of her messy morning hair as she walked towards the big room he used as a studio, Caroline stopped by the threshold holding her big coffee mug and smiled lazily at the image.

Nik was wearing only his low-cut Jeans while painting a huge canvas.

She took a little longer with the hot beverage in her hand, the long broad back and everything attached to it was hers.  
Now that was a thought that left her dizzy.

Nik tilted his head inspecting the last brushes satisfied with them, the bright blue over the white canvas was beginning to gain shape and he was happy with it.  
Caroline neared him knowing that even barefoot she wouldn't surprise him and Nik smiled when the fresh smell of coffee filled the room.

He searched for the owner of the soft hand that now caressed his naked lower back.

"Good morning." she sweetly said before kissing him.

Nik laced an arm around his girlfriend and kissed her while keeping her close to him.  
Caroline's happy face showed how satisfied she was for the affection display and she looked at him with that same love that she so heavenly greeted him with every day.

He toyed with the loose golden locks framing her face, he liked to marvel on her beauty without anything in the way.  
She always looked the most beautiful to him just like this, straight out of bed with her beloved coffee and the cute tiny shorts and top.

"I have too many things to do today." she warned before their next kiss.

"Stay home instead." he asked with a smile that was undressing her already.

Caroline pursed her lips considering it. "I have to meet Siri and start working on the Bonnie project... it's not a good idea to go where our thoughts are leading us."

Nik's hand searched for her neck and brought her closer for a deep kiss that he only broke because his phone started ringing.

Caroline smiled because of it. "And you have to work."

There was a slow grunt, Caroline knew how much Nik hated the desk job at the family business but architecture wasn't his passion either.  
This was his element, a canvas, a brush and a muse that inspired him every day.

The phone was incessant and Caroline caressed his bare chest one last time before leaving the room.

"Are you free for lunch?" he asked before she reached the door.

"I'm a busy woman today but dinner would be perfect to wear my new dress." she dropped with a sly smile.

"French or Italian?" Nik asked before taking the call.

"Surprise me." she said already out of his sight.

Nik grinned pressing green on the screen. "What's the urgency Kol?"

* * *

Bonnie vaguely nodded at the doctor, it wasn't the first time she was forced to listen to the gory details of what an overdose did to someone, some of the women in the shelter turned desperately to easy ways to forget their pain or to just jump into another sort of addiction.  
The main difference today was that the woman lying on the bed was her mother, the one that walked out on her during high school and occasionally sent her birthday postcards asking for money instead of sending it.

"Miss Bennett?" The doctor called again when she didn't answer him.

She looked up at him leaving her thoughts. "Yes?"

"I'll give you a few minutes alone with her, I will be right outside if you have any questions." the young tanned doctor said and excused himself one more time before leaving.

Bonnie looked at the unconscious woman knowing she was nothing but a stranger, still she brought back the only childhood memories she had.  
The years of rough life and drug abusive had not been that kind on Abby but she still was as beautiful as Bonnie remembered.

Bonnie looked at the door smiling at Kol when he came inside handing her a cup of coffee, he stopped by the bed sipping on his black coffee.

"The doctor said that she scarcely made it this time, it was all very close nonetheless." he mused.

Bonnie held her coffee glad that the heat from the cup warmed her cold hands. "She's my mother Kol… the woman who was absent from my life is lying on a bed, recovering after being an inch away from dying." she looked at him. "And I thought I would be less shaken by it. I shouldn't show her the love and concern she deprived me of but I can't help it."

"You are an awful person B for having any range of feelings. Compassion is outrageous at any time." he easily said before drinking more coffee.

Her lips twisted into a smile and she ferociously punched his arm under a soft chuckle from him. "I can't count on you to be serious." she mumbled before tasting her coffee which caused a strange explosion in her palate. "Does my coffee have pineapple in it?"

He smirked finishing his. "LA is very  _cool._ "

Bonnie laughed but covered her mouth, this was not the place for this but his accent always made the word sound too funny to her.  
He looked at her smiling and she returned the first easy smile in hours, Bonnie sipped on her coffee again and then looked away focusing on the woman who slowly gained consciousness.

"Mom?" she came closer to the bed.

Abby parted her dry lips and visibly fought to understand where she was until she saw Bonnie standing next to the bed. "Bonnie…" the shock was heart breaking, she wasn't expecting her daughter to be here so she started crying.

She touched her face ashamed and tried to fight the needles sticking out of her bruised skin, as if shielding her battled face would be enough to hide all the horrible things she had done in her life.

"Mom… do you know why you are here?"

Abby tried to tame her tears. "I have done everything wrong."

Bonnie fought as well with tears and took her mother's fragile hand into hers. "Just worry about getting well now mom."

Abby gripped her hand. "You are here now… everything will be better this time, you will see."

"Mom…"

"I will be the mother that you deserve, you will see… just take me home with you… I don't have any money left and I don't have anywhere to sleep. You need to help me."

"The last time you said that, I asked a friend in Atlanta to take you in for the night and you stole everything you could from him…"

Abby crunched her lips but reacted fast and started the usual endless promises.  
Bonnie smiled sad, her mother always did this, she had a box full of postcards with the same words and as Abby started to unravel a well rehearsed list of all the pledges she never kept Bonnie removed her hand away from Abby's.

"You need to rest for now... I'm going to talk to your doctor, ok?"

Abby nodded and looked at her arm. "Can you ask him to raise the dosage of my painkillers? I'm in real pain and these are not working at all." she gave her daughter a fake painful look.

Bonnie left the room without looking back but instead of going to speak to the doctor, she turned to the elevator.

"Are you all right?" Kol asked quietly just behind her.

"No, I'm pissed. She will never change, she almost died and all she can think about is money and stronger painkillers. She's going to keep doing the same thing over and over."

"She needs a lot more than a good scare to change darling..."

Bonnie looked at him upset and dropped the coffee on the trash when she left the elevator. "This was a mistake and I want to go home."

* * *

Nik went through the file on the table, he couldn't understand what it was all about but it was keeping him busy while waiting for Elijah.

His older brother came inside the office and swiftly took the file back with a scold, Nik smirked at him challenging him all innocently and Elijah pushed his feet off his desk. "Manners Niklaus."

Nik chuckled. "How will you follow Kol's advice if you are so touchy about your desk?"

Elijah sat on his chair with a heavy sigh. "I had hopped he was too caught up in the alcohol to forget about that."

Nik leaned forward on the desk. "So you fancy April, what are you going to do about that?"

"Chase her for months like you did with Caroline until she files a restraining order against me."

"Or take her out for dinner and dance with her leaving her weak to the impeccable Mikaelson charm."

"You only kissed Caroline after 10 dates Niklaus."

Klaus grinned. "But we made love that night in her gallery."

Elijah grimaced most deeply. "I often suspect I am not related to you or Kol."

Nik opened his arms. "You forget how much you changed, not far gone are the days I caught you in our living room with Katherine… studying  _law positions_  in our sofa."

Elijah smiled. "I was younger and Katherine wasn't working for me."

"Do you go through the reasons why you can't be with April every day?"

Elijah thumped the table with his fingers slowly. "I think that Kol is hiding something large from us."

"I suspect the same."

"I don't know what but when I tried to confront him, he shifted the topic of the conversation completely."

"I wonder from whom he learned that from..." Nik gave him a luscious smile as he stood up.

"You will not have lunch with your older and deeply conflicted brother today?" Elijah asked with a sad face.

Nik laughed on the way to the door already. "I need to pinch dinner reservations from Finn. I'm taking Caroline to her favorite restaurant tonight and Finn knows the owner."

"Ah, so the grovel worked." Elijah opened the file setting up for another day of work.

"I do not grovel Elijah." Nik said smugly.

"It's a mystery why Caroline still hasn't left you."

"No need to be mean..." Nik mumbled closing the door of the office.

Elijah laughed amused with Nik's pouting ways and began to focus on his work.  
There was a soft knock on the door after an hour that went by too fast, this was looking like one of those days that didn't have enough hours in them.

"You look like you could use one of these." April left a mug with hot tea on his desk.

He faced her with a raised eyebrow.

"Coffee makes you jittery." she said with a small teasing smile.

Elijah tried not to smile but she was standing in front of him sipping on the only thing they had in the office, green tea.

"It's good for your health." she added waiting for him to pick up the mug and drink from it.

Elijah eyed strongly the young girl with coal hair and bright blue eyes. "Do you have any messages for me?" he held his employer status with wisdom.

April made a small defeated sound and dropped her mug neatly close to his opening her pad next, she started taking one bright colorful post-it after the other. "A few congratulations on settling our latest case, nothing truly exciting." she confessed.

Elijah cringed as his desk became decorated with bright pink, blue and yellow.

"And Judge Martin called." April handed him a white paper this time, he knew it was important.

"Luka's father?"

April took one of the chairs. "I have a friend who is dating a cop who works on Luka's precinct, and apparently Internal Affairs has been snooping around. There are rumors that a group of detectives has done some extracurricular activities, they have been snatching gang members on their night patrols and taking them to the rival gangs, leaving them there to die and steer up things in a very scary bad way." she made a few hand gestures.

"And Bonnie's fiancé is involved in this scheme?" Elijah looked for his phone at once, he had to know more about this.

"Judge Martin is worried because Luka is known for his occasional abuse of power. " April looked down on her pad, there was one last message for Elijah that she yanked with resentment. "I almost forgot… your good friend Katherine called as well." she stood up reading the note for him out loud. " _Sweet Elijah, I'm waiting for your call, don't make me wait for long, you know how restless I get when I don't have it my way. In case you don't remember, I'd love to remind you in detail. Kat._ " April finished with a seductive voice impersonating the other woman.

Elijah took his eyes from the phone and looked at April who closed her pad with a cheeky smile. "I'm sure she was wearing a silky robe and sexy sleepers when she called." April took the mugs and turned around to leave him with the image.

"April?" Elijah called out before she reached the door.

The girl looked at him fairly sure she hadn't forgotten anything.

"This will take most of my day and I still have a few other cases to give my attention to."

"I know… I'm spending my time on the archive as well so I'll be here most of the day if you need me." she said with a sweet smile turning away to leave.

"Perhaps we could have dinner when we are done with our affairs." he said quickly.

April froze by the door.

"Since we will be here most of the day, maybe tonight we could celebrate our latest income. Together." he added in a clumsy way.

The girl tried to keep the mugs steady as she turned to him shaking. "Shall I make reservations?"

"That's all right, I'll handle that." he said in that determined way that slowly took over him again.

"Ok." she smiled and left the office closing the door behind her and clutching the mugs against her chest. "Oh my God, I'm going to faint..." she whispered so excited that she could listen to her heart pounding inside of her chest.

* * *

"I'm an idiot…" Bonnie whispered as the harsh truth hit her. "I don't know what I was expecting out of all of this." she opened the door of her house absolutely disappointed with the useless journey to LA.

Kol closed the door knowing that it was time for some tough loving. "You went to your mother expecting it to be like everything you do in life, searching for the good in people but sometimes there is nothing to savage Bonnie."

She stopped on her way to the fridge. "Don't hold back Kol." she said already upset.

He parted his arms. "I could lie to you B but what's the point? She's not a victim of some awful husband, she did this to herself."

"There are a lot of ways to abuse a woman Kol." she fiercely took a bottle of water from the fridge scolding him. "My father isn't really the caring type nor was he the type of husband that was around much."

"I know and I'm proud that you understand that better than anyone and that you took upon yourself to help all these women that have been hurt as well but by giving them hope you are slowly losing yours and resigning in your life."

She shook her head rejecting his speech. "That's not true."

"Your mother left you, she has a serious problem that can't be fixed by you, she needs professional help but she doesn't want it and you can't bring another problem into your life to cover for everything that is already wrong." he said knowing his honesty was going to have consequences.

"If you felt that way why did you go with me?" she dropped the bottle mad on the table.

"Because I would do anything for you."

Bonnie looked away from him feeling tears sprinting to her eyes. "As my friend you could have lied a little longer and tell me that everything would be ok. I just left my mother in a hospital bed and I may be wishing that things work out but I'm still conflicted about all of this."

"And everything will be all right Bonnie but you need to start working on your life while you are trying to fix everyone else's."

"Why are you being like this?" she fought her tears but Kol was just hitting her left and right. "I was the first to say it was a mistake going there... so what's with the reality check?"

"I'm doing this because I love you." he came closer to her, aware that she was misleading his words entirely.

She frowned a bit when he took her face between his hands.

"Because I can't stand seeing you harm yourself like this, desperate to do for others what you think no one will do for you."

"I know that you would fight for me." she smiled because she had that one assurance in her messy life. "You are my best friend."

He slowly outlined her face with his hazel eyes and smiled stroking her cheeks. "No Bonnie…" he whispered and leaned over stopping inches away from her lips. "I  _love_  you." he looked intensely into her green eyes.

Bonnie went serious when it finally hit her like an awakening thunder. "Kol…" her brain was shutting down because his lips were about to touch hers.

Kol nudged her upper lip softly with his lips waiting for that one permission he wanted from her and when she didn't stop him, he pressed his lips against hers still holding on to that hope that she wouldn't shut him down now.  
And surprisingly Bonnie closed her eyes moving her lips against his.

It was all he needed and Kol guided one hand to the back of her neck gently tilting her head and indulging in her soft lips again.  
This was wrong, her mind started screaming at her, Kol was actually kissing her and she was touching his neck.

Then she was stroking his hair while he kissed her bottom lip gently pulling at it before pressing his lips against hers again.  
She moaned and that's when reality hit her harder than before, she was moaning against another man's lips, Kol's to be precise and she harshly hauled away from him demanding space between them immediately.

"No..." she touched her lips like they were branded by him now, like this invisible mark that had claimed possession over her lips.

Kol was high from the kiss, he wanted to do that since he got back and sweetly smiled at her. "Bonnie… it's all right."

"No it's not." she backed away when he came closer to her again. "It's everything but right." she pushed her hair away from her face. "Why would you do that?"

Kol stubbornly took hold of her face again trying to sooth her. "Because when I woke up after having my chest open all I could think about was you, how I wanted you there and how wrong I was for always taking you for granted and for not seeing what was right in front of me."

She slowly took his hands away from her face. "You can't do this..."

"Of course I can." he said in that fearless way that defined him.

Bonnie looked down on the floor gathering her thoughts for a second, when she faced him her green eyes were glistening with fresh tears. "You can't do this to  _me_."

Kol couldn't understand her words and his face showed exactly that. "Because of that prick that doesn't deserve you?"

"Because I love you." she said painfully. "Because I have been in love with you for years and you never looked at me as a woman, all you saw was a friend and I grew used to that. You got shot and now you think that you are in love but you don't know how it is to love someone so much that it physically hurts to see them with someone else and I was there Kol, week after week. Girlfriend after girlfriend and story after story…" she quickly cleaned her agonizing tears. "But I've moved on. I realized I would always be the friend and you are my best friend so that's all that I want from this now."

Her words were hard to handle mostly because of all the raw truth behind them but he still wasn't ready to give up and he held her face again. "I messed up. It's not that easy to live up to your high standards Bonnie, I never did anything with my life but dodge responsibility, but I had the perfect girl as my friend. No one had that but me."

"Stop..." she begged him trying to move away from him.

"You kissed me back." he smiled digging for hope again. "And you said that you love me."

"I'm going to marry Luka and nothing is going to change that. It's too late for us Kol." she said removing his hands from her face one last time.

Kol was hurt, he wasn't expecting the blow and she knew that he wasn't used to hearing a no but she wasn't going to do this only to end up hurt.  
She knew him too well and this was just a phase that would go away like all the blondes that warmed his bed in the past.

"It's not too late and you know that I won't give up just like that." he said serious heading for the door after one last gazing look at her.

Bonnie looked at him dreading how serious he sounded.

"I will not let you ruin your life by marrying that waste of space that doesn't deserve to breathe the same air that you breathe, even if I have to blow up the Church before you get there and believe me Bonnie, I learned a few tricks in the army." he said smugly and slammed the door on his way out.

* * *

He was just gathering his keys upset when Luka stepped out of a black car furious. "Where did you take her?" he met Kol on the sidewalk.

"Word of advice mate, get out of my sight." he warned Luka trying to go around him to his car.

But Luka stopped him by pressing his hand against Kol's chest. "She wasn't home earlier, she wasn't at the shelter and now you are just leaving her house. What the hell were you doing with my girl?"

"Stop referring to her as a car." Kol hissed on a very dangerous breaking point.

Luka was literally in his face at this point. "Maybe I haven't made myself clear enough. When I told you to leave, I meant it. Bonnie is mine and I don't like sharing my things. She snapped out of her hero infatuation with you once I showed her what a real man was." he foolishly spiked the already motivated Mikaelson.

Kol smiled at Luka which confused him. "You should watch your step Detective, these sidewalks are tricky." he said with a taunting stare.

Luka scowled suspicious of his rival but Kol was too fast for him, he quickly took the hand from his chest and easily pulled his thumb back making Luka wince in pain and before he tried to fight him, Kol was already trapping Lukas' hand behind his back and slamming his head hard against the black SUV.  
Luka was dizzy instantly with the open cut on his forehead, all that police training was useless against Kol's motivation.

Kol looked around making sure no one was watching the scene and slammed Luka's head once more just for personal gratification, then he snaked an arm around the Detective's neck and hissed against his ear. "If you ever speak about Bonnie like that again, I will snap your little vexing neck and call the friends I left back in the army and we'll bury you out in the desert so deep that not even the bugs will find you. Are we clear enough now Detective?"

Luka rubbed his neck and cleaned the blood on his forehead when Kol shoved him away. "You don't want me as an enemy Mikaelson, you shouldn't have done that."

Kol smirked opening his door. "Bring a few buds with you when you come for me darling, I have three older brothers that love a good brawl."

Kol drove away happy that he finally got a taste of the loathing Detective but drove home with Bonnie's words looming inside of his mind.

* * *

Esther gave the last touches to her chocolate cake and licked her finger watching Kol sit by the counter after snatching the chocolate bowl for the remains. "And suddenly I was taken back to when you were five."

Kol ran his finger through the bowl sulking. "Can I go back? Life was so simple back then, all I had to do was stay hidden from Bekah who wanted to braid my hair."

Esther sat in front of him. "What happened with Bonnie?"

Kol indulged in the last chocolate sulking even more. "I kissed her and found out that we have been in love with each other since high school but neither had the nerve to do something positive about it. Now she is engaged and I'm plotting a way to kill the groom."

"If she told you how she felt that's progress, at least now you know that she feels the same way and that your efforts won't be in vain."

Kol took another finger covered in chocolate to his mouth. "If I push her now, I'll end up losing her friendship as well. I'm moping as it is." he said with his finger in his mouth just like he was five.

Esther fought the urge to stroke his chestnut hair but smiled. "Everyone says that I'm very protective of you but your brothers are far worse than me, they have kept you guarded from the real world all your life. It's time that you experience a little heartbreak. It will do you good." she tapped his hand beaming.

"Mother…" he complained with a shocked grimace.

"I should start charging for these late night sessions by the kitchen island." she stood up and finally did what she was itching to do, she stroked Kol's wild hair with all that motherly love in her.

Her son smiled, he was too adorable for his own good when he wanted. "You can't charge for giving advice to your own offspring."

"I gave birth to five stunning children, the world owes me." she covered the magnificent chocolate cake with a glass casing.

"Then collect from the world instead mother." he sneered.

"There will be no cake for you." she pointed her finger sternly at him.

Kol laughed but was distracted by his cell phone and he was very surprised by the name on the screen. "Hello?"

_"Hello Mikaelson, guess who has an interview at the local hospital?"_

Kol sneakily stood up and left the kitchen under the very suspicious stare of his mother. "How local are we speaking?"

The door bell made a sound and he paced quickly to the front door opening it fast.

"Very!" a tall brunette with short hair and a deep British accent answered smiling.

He put his phone away trying to think fast but nothing was faster than his mother that already made way to them. "I heard someone at the door..." she inspected the beautiful elegant woman.

"Yes… mother, this is Rose." he said and looked at the woman hopping she would pick up on his panic alert.

But the woman simply ignored all that and smiled at his mother. "I was Kol's doctor."

"Doctor?" Esther looked at Kol immediately.

"Yes, I was the one who performed the surgery when he was shot." Rose just kept going.

Much for Kol's despair.

"Shot?" Esther asked with a faltering voice.

He closed his eyes covering his face with a hand.

"Kol Mikaelson, what did you hide from me?" Esther asked him sternly and about to lose it.

His doom day was here.

* * *

**Soundtrack:**

Secret garden –  _Bruce Springsteen_


	7. Let you go

"I'm beyond sorry Kol, I had no notion that she wasn't aware of your injury…" Rose whispered by the door while she glanced over to the woman frantically speaking on the phone.

"No one knew but now she is calling everyone." Kol knew exactly how this would pan out and he hated being rude but the doctor had been everything but subtle so he didn't restrain either. "Rose, I need to handle a family crisis at the moment."

She nodded leaving the house at once. "I really had no intention of causing such trouble."

"I'll call you tomorrow if I survive the family trial."

She smiled. "I'll offer you coffee so I can redeem myself..." she quickly left to her car and Kol stood there waiting for the first ones to arrive at the crime scene.

Nik met Rose's car on the way up to the driveway and gave Kol a scold as he held Caroline's door.

The blonde took Nik's arm and smiled warmly at Kol. "Why didn't tell you anyone?" she asked sweetly trying to ease what she knew was coming.

"It's not as bad as mother has pictured it." he kept his cool but Nik was still scolding him and they all turned to the other car arriving.

Elijah opened his arms appalled. "You were shot and the family wasn't informed? I'm filing a lawsuit against the United States Armed Forces!"

Kol didn't bother answering and turned his back on them going inside, he sat at the couch waiting for his public dispute.

Esther ended her call nervously facing her sons. "Finn is on his way."

They all sat down looking at Kol and he knew he had no easy way out of this one, honesty was required above all.

"My unit was ambushed and we were all caught by the rebels, when we got away I was shot because I was the one driving the vehicle that we used to escape. I woke up in a helicopter on the way to the nearest hospital and asked my Lieutenant to keep it a secret from home because chances were that I wouldn't make it alive..." he slowly looked at his mother that closed her eyes in sheer agony.

"How did you convince him to keep quiet after that?" Nik asked and Kol looked at him taken by the warmth in his voice, it was so rare to catch a glimpse of this side of Nik.

"He had been nagging me for months to join a special team he was assembling for a few missions under the radar so I agreed to be part of his team with one condition, what happened in there was to stay there."

There was movement by the front door and everyone looked at Finn and Sage that came in.

"How could you hide this from the family?" Finn asked at once and austerely while helping Sage with her coat.

"If this family wasn't so overbearing…" he started but went quiet fast because every one of his siblings started protesting and speaking at the same time.

Esther left the living room, she needed time to ease her tight chest and a little alcohol was always welcomed so she opened a bottle of wine.  
Caroline smiled at her coming inside the kitchen.

"Wine dear?"

Caroline nodded taking her white long coat of, she sat by the infamous family place and approached the older woman warmly. "Kol really knows how to cause a good commotion."

"He has always been the one that plays with my heart." Esther rubbed her forehead tired.

"I think he was mostly worried of how you would all react to the news and he was trying to protect everyone."

"My reckless baby that spent his Sundays watching baseball was shot in the chest. This is the call that no mother wants to receive but I still should have known, he should have at least told me when he got back." Esther was sad and she sighed with sorrow into her deep red wine.

Caroline played with her bracelet. "I don't know how I would react if I got a call saying that Nik got hurt, I would have lost my North."

"That is why Finn and I are forbidding this one to go even near any career in the army, police or fire-fighter. If it depends on her parents she will become a nun." Sage said with her hands over her tummy, it made the other two women laugh.

"Have you chosen a name for the baby already?" Caroline asked with a big smile.

Sage dropped her head back. "We can't agree on any name." she looked at Esther who started cutting the perfect chocolate cake. "Finn is obsessed with names of flowers."

The information made Esther smile but her eyes went to Kol when he came into the kitchen and then out the door obviously on a mission.  
Elijah followed him and Finn grabbed a couple of bottles smiling at his wife on the way out, Nik was in charge of the glasses and kissed Caroline before leaving the kitchen.

None of the women followed them, not even Esther.

The Mikaelsons had epic fights that in any other family would end with siblings not speaking to each other for days but the Mikaelson siblings always worked their issues over a bottle of wine and in the same place.  
The tree house that Elijah and Finn built for Nik to cure his aversion for heights.

Over the years it became the family sacred place, where Finn had told the siblings he was proposing to Sage or where Elijah had opened all of his college applications and chosen Oxford with a tight heart for having to leave the family.  
But through it all one thing remained, they always encouraged each other and the individual choices each one made.

Even when Kol gathered them at the tree house and informed them that he was now a soldier and leaving on tour to Afghanistan, everyone had been supportive.  
Exactly why it was a big crime that he had hidden his near death experience from them, they weren't happy and he had some explaining to do.

Kol took his place dangling his legs from the wooden structure that had a view to the big garden.  
He could see Rebekah arriving home from college and rushing to the tree, Nik helped her up to the house that meant little to her, as the youngest all she had been doing in here was giving her brothers the detailed description of her boyfriends and beg them not to scare them away, it rarely worked until Matt came along.

"Don't they teach you how to use the bullet proof vest at the army?" she asked Kol in that sassy upset tone of hers.

"They didn't have pictures and you know that I can't read." he joked while she pushed his shirt up to expose his scar.

"That looks nasty..." Finn said with a repulsed face.

"Are you all right there mate? You look a bit pale." Nik teased him, everyone knew how blood made Finn queasy.

"Did it hurt?" Rebekah asked enthralled with the healed wound.

"Not at all, I highly recommend it to those into the radical sports, it's a lot like paintball but with real bullets."

Rebekah rolled her eyes at him and trailed the scar from the operation with her finger, then she pursed her lips and punched his chest hard.

"Bekah!" he protested loudly.

She pushed the shirt down and faced him mad. "You almost died. Who would nag me to eternity and call me pathetic because I like reality shows if you were gone prick?"

"Don't be angry brat, I'm still here and I have already erased every Kardashian trace I could find, we are entertainment enough for you sister." he smiled sweetly which slowly relaxed her a bit.

Nik poured wine for her, Elijah took Nik's side and Finn took Kol's.  
They all faced the garden quietly for a bit, it was like going back to a childhood that had been wonderful as soon as Mikael disappeared from their lives.

It was hard to explain how such a big family grew tight and close as they did and everyone had a quiet smile as they sipped on the family's income in appreciation for everything that bonded them throughout the years.

"I should have sent word of what happened." Kol admitted calmly.

"There are no secrets between us." Elijah reminded him as a father gently addressing a son's fault.

"If you had been honest from the start I would be having dinner with my sizzling girlfriend and her new amazing white dress." Nik pouted into his wine.

There was a joined chuckled as his priorities surfaced but it took everyone by surprise that Elijah joined his brother's pout.

"I was going to have dinner with April tonight." he had his wine ignoring all the heads that turned to face him.

"You finally asked her out?" Kol asked stunned that he actually took action.

Elijah smiled. "We had a bit of a celebration to do so I asked for her company and she said yes."

Nik was impressed and raised his glass. "Cheers to that."

They all raised their glasses but Kol was himself. "Tomorrow morning just grab the girl and kiss her already, skip dinner and all those trivial things that women fancy."

Rebekah grinned. "Yeah Elijah, show her how manly and rough you are under that outrageously expensive suit."

"Release the beast in you." Nik joined the mockery looking at Elijah with a defying smile.

If a look was enough to set them all on fire, they would all be in high flames under Elijah's disapproving glare.

"Can we not talk about sex?" The voice by the other end of the line complained.

They all laughed and this time even Elijah joined in.

Finn refilled his glass generously. "Sage won't even let me near her, I'm seriously losing it."

The laughter was bigger because of the doomed look on his face.

"Have you told Bonnie yet about the new Frankenstein look going on in your chest?" Nik asked Kol in a cheery way.

"Subtle Nik…" Kol frowned and touched his chest in disapproval for the harsh banter. "But yes, I told her before we got on the plane to LA."

They all threw their hands in the air in perfect sync.

"What?" he asked slowly.

"Of course she would find out before us." Rebekah said with a grudge.

"I kissed her." he told his siblings that looked at him expectant for the rest, he looked at the ground and then shrugged. "And then she rejected me and said she was going to marry Detective Loser anyway."

Elijah stared into his wine, he wished he could tell Kol about the new case storming ahead and that involved Martin's name but he couldn't yet.

"At least you kissed her." Finn said without excitement.

"You need help Finn…" Kol raised an eyebrow at his brother.

"Are you going to give up?" Rebekah asked taking the bottle from Nik.

"Bite your tongue Bekah, it's rude to point out things that I'm incapable of."

"It was probably a startle for sweet Bonnie to find out that you were looking at her with a fresh new set of eyes." Elijah smiled encouragingly at Kol. "But us the Mikaelsons don't ever give up."

They all raised their glasses and cheered, that was the true family way.

"She said that she loved me so I know that she is only frightened that I'm not serious about her."

"Are you capable of being serious?" Finn asked like he was just now arriving to the conversation.

"Yes I am… oh horny one."

"I'm not horny… I'm just deeply frustrated." Finn corrected him.

Kol smiled and looked at the rest of the people he couldn't live without. "Am I forgiven?"

Rebekah shook her head fiercely. "You are guilty and charged with treason, your sentence is to stay in this house forever and never leave the family again."

He gave her a big adorable smile, so exclusive to him and laced an arm around her. "All right."

She rested her head on his shoulder and playfully kicked Nik's shoes.

* * *

Bonnie wrapped ice around a towel and gently pressed it against his bleeding eyebrow. "I still don't understand how someone just assaulted you outside my building and you haven't called it in."

"It was just some punk mad that he got a warning over his parking in a restricted area." Luka said taking the ice from her hand.

"So you have his license number..." she insisted on it which ticked him off.

"Just let it go Bonnie." he snapped.

"I just don't understand why you are not doing anything about this."

He could read the suspicion in her, he had arrived shortly after the cocky Mikaelson left but he wasn't about to play victim to the other one, he would personally handle him and demand blood for the little stunt. "Drop it Bonnie, everything is ok." he said looking at her as he stood up. "No, actually not everything is ok."

She looked puzzled and slightly pulled her cardigan closer to her body.

"We need to set a date, I'm tired of waiting to get married to you." he said determined and refusing to back down.

"I thought we agreed on waiting until I had Haven back on track." she instantly went to the same excuse she kept giving him.

He chuckled pressing his wound with the ice. "It's obvious that that place will take a while to get any kind of stability and I'm tired of being taken for a fool."

She nervously touched the collar of her jacket. "No one is playing you Luka."

"The guys at the precinct say that you're just stringing me along because you like having someone warming your feet at night…" he smiled and came near her to cup her fragile features. "… but I know that's not true, I know that you love me." he stroked her soft almond skin. "Right?"

His voice was sweet like when she first met him.  
On the day that an angry husband caused havoc on the shelter, Luka was called to the scene and instantly flirted with her.

That she had a type, took a long time to admit but that she always fell for the protective ones took her longer to admit.  
It wasn't easy coming clean with herself knowing that Luka was right on that thin line of protective and passively abusive and that all the instability in her life in the end pushed her to the same path of the women she dedicate her life helping.

His hold on her cheek was strong and his body was closer to hers now, Bonnie smiled weakly at him, he wasn't actually hurting her but he was silently planting that seed of doubt in her, would he flip that switch soon and hurt her?  
Bonnie was scared for the first time or at least she admitted that to herself.

"Of course I love you." she said sweetly because she knew what to tell him, what he wanted to hear.

And it worked, his smile became softer and he stroked her long hair, leaving her face. "Then let's set a date."

She nodded unable to speak, her voice would come out heavy on her pain, Luka was everything that Kol wasn't and that's why she had chosen him but with Kol's kiss it all changed and shifted inside of her, his words had left the cruelest mark on her.  
They gave her hope.

* * *

Rebekah chewed on her finger leisurely, her eyes were admiring the perfect curves that moved under the shirt as he wrote some stuff on the board that she was definitely not paying attention to.

"God, he is so hot, right?" some girl asked next to the blonde.

She casually shrugged. "He's all right."

"I mean, figures you would say that because of that hot boyfriend you have but Vaughn is giving me nightmares with all that hotness." the girl insisted.

Rebekah faced her annoyed. "I recommend a cold shower, it does wonders for the hair as well." she nastily looked at the lousy excuse of curls that lived on top of the head in front of her eyes.

The girl accused the foul move and turned to another girl on the other side, carrying on with the nonsense talk about the professor with the hot ass.

* * *

Elijah knocked on the door of the small office that April took for herself and the girl looked away from the files she was organizing surprised.

"I like what you have done with the confine space."

She smiled proud with the compliment. "I'm very resourceful."

He smiled and stepped into the small room, immediately it seemed to become somehow smaller as his powerful presence took most of the space. "I feel terrible for cancelling our dinner last night on such short notice but my family needed me."

"There will be other nights." she ventured hoping he would go along with it.

Elijah motioned and he seemed to take the air with him, her mouth was dry and she felt dizzy when his strong arm became visibly outlined under the grey shirt.

"I am family free tonight."

She leaned against her desk because he took a step closer to her. "That sounds… good." she stumbled because Elijah cupped her cheek.

He could read the panic in her face but the constant mocking from his siblings had left him unwavering on his decision and he stroked her cheek. "I shall take you out for dinner tonight then."

Her blue eyes sparkled as she smiled timidly. "Okay…"

Elijah released her cheek and left the office fast before his sudden determination disappeared, she tried to breathe straight and pressed her chest but the files that she had been handling before he came in all fell to the floor.

* * *

Rebekah rolled her eyes as the girls in front of her giggled all fretfully on the way to receive their exams.  
Vaughn handed the papers as they stepped down from the stairs of the big auditorium and Rebekah waited for her turn.

When he handed the exam to her she looked baffled. "How is this possible?"

Vaughn handed the last exam to another student and then faced the blonde. "Is there a problem?"

"You made a mistake, it says _F._ "

She was appalled but he smiled and sat on the desk. "I thought that I was a good teacher but maybe I'm wrong and you wish to get a review on the grade I just gave you?"

She wasn't pleased. "I never have bad grades, so this is gruesome mistake." she handed him the paper back.

Vaughn took it and she expected him to scribble a better grade as he wrote something on the test but when he handed it back to her she was beyond upset.

"What's this now?"

Vaughn packed his bag and left the auditorium. "My phone number and email. You need tutoring if you want to pass this class because your knowledge in History is unforgiving Rebekah."

She crumbled the paper mad in her hand but didn't toss it away, she waited a few seconds before looking again at the number and email he left her with.

* * *

Bonnie peeled the top of her coffee cup without paying attention around her, not even to the children that usually made her smile with their happy giggles and constant joy, nothing was able to cheer her up today.  
Two black boots stopped in front of her but she didn't look up to the owner so he took the swing next to her.

"How did you know I was here?" she asked refusing to look at him.

"You come here every morning, everyday no matter the weather. I know you better than you give me credit for B." he had his coffee looking at the kids near them running around chasing each other.

"I know you too Kol." she simply replied.

"I refuse to believe it's too late for us." he looked at her.

"It's not the right time at least." she slowly faced him, her speech was different this morning.

"You have been crying."

She smiled without much sparkle. "You left Kol. You were the one thing keeping me afloat in all the mess that was my life and you gave up on me as well and left."

"Don't be silly love, I will never give up on you. Even if I had died out there I would be back to greet you from the dead." he said with a forming smile.

She shook her head perturbed by the image. "Kol..."

He laughed shamelessly but dropped his hand between the swings.  
Bonnie smiled and took it.

Kol kept her hand in his and that soothed her so much that she felt guilt over it, his touch was strong like she was familiar with but unlike Luka she knew he would never hurt her.  
Kol just had that effect on her, no matter how much everything was crumbling around her, he was always the steady rock that never wavered and didn't show fear.

It honestly broke her heart a bit having to do this but his friendship was something she couldn't lose, she would never make it without it and something more between them at this point would destroy that perfection that she had with him.

"I'm getting married in two weeks Kol." she said in a low voice.

He hesitated before having his coffee but she entwined her fingers with his wanting to show him that she wasn't briskly sending him away either.

"I have two weeks to make you change your mind." he faced her.

"I want my best friend there, helping to tame Caroline's plans to turn this into the wedding of the century."

"I've seen this film, I think it was on a Sunday and you forced me to sit through this dreadful hour where two beautiful women fought over a really unattractive man and in the end he chose the one that couldn't sing."

Bonnie laughed and rested her head against the swing chains. "He didn't choose the best friend because he was in love with the other girl and he couldn't stand the idea of losing the two of them."

"I loathed the movie then, I'm determined to change it now."

"You can't sing to save your life Kol." she teased him without mercy.

He smirked. "Darling… there's nothing I can't do."

There was a small twinkle in her eyes, that light that he couldn't quite explain that made her eyes greener and then she flashed that smile that hurt more than a thousand bullets.

"I know…" she whispered certain that he would always be there for her, even when she chose the other man over him.

"I'm choosing my wedding dress tomorrow." she informed him starting to move her feet to sway the swing, slowly leaving the warmth of his hand.

"Fantastic, a chance to see you naked." he beamed.

Bonnie laughed loudly and with will, something that she deemed impossible before he arrived.

"I'm excited. I'm a big fan of corsets." his swing went ahead of hers toying her to catch up to him.

"You are a bit too thrilled about this." she easily went ahead of him buckling her knees to make the swing go faster.

He laughed going higher than her. "I have two weeks to show you that I'm the best choice darling, what's not to be thrilled about?"

Bonnie smiled, if only her life was as easy as Kol always made it sound.

* * *

**Soundtrack:**

I won't let you go -  _James Morrison_


	8. The Plan

Kol looked up from his laptop towards the front door, his mother wasn't home and he didn't expect her soon, neither did he expect the blonde man who slumped on the couch next to him with a heavy noise. "Shouldn't you be working?" he asked Nik who stared at the ceiling, his head resting against the couch.

"I loathe my dull existence." he said dramatically.

It wasn't much of a surprise to Kol that his brother hated his job but the over dramatic comment pulled a chuckle from him nonetheless. "Your existence is not dull, you have  _a Caroline._ "

Nik smiled hugely. "I detest everything in my life except for Caroline."

"You just hate the family business that keeps you tamed inside four walls like a wild lion trapped inside of a Zoo." Kol returned his focus to the laptop and they shared the silence only interrupted by Kol's fast fingers across the keyboard.

They looked at the door at the same time as Finn came in sharing Nik's lack of enthusiasm; he slouched on the couch in the same manner as his brother. "I need a good drink and a good talk, are there any volunteers?"

Nik raised his hand high in the air without looking at his older brother. "I call dibs on the finest bourbon."

"Where is our mother?" Finn asked looking at the drinks but dreading that he had to move in order to get them.

"On Yoga or Pilates, or whatever new activity she found this week." Kol returned to the computer in front of him.

"She probably found the wonders of Karate." Nik smirked.

"Remember when she decided to try Kickboxing? She spent a week on bed rest because she ruined her knee so she decided to try the somewhat more  _Zen activities_  after that." Kol reminded Nik.

He shrugged recalling faintly something about it now that Kol mentioned it, he looked at the laptop and tried to have a better look at it but Kol moved the small screen closer to him.

"Are you watching porn?" Finn asked without significance.

Nik and Kol looked at him at the same time with a frown.

He shrugged. "Don't judge until you are forced to give foot massages and fetch for strange items like honey cookies." he waved his hands on edge. "We're not speaking about random cookies. No, Sage didn't want the simple vanilla or cinnamon cookies that we have at the house because they are her favorite; no, they had to be cookies that tasted like honey and I had to drive around New York at 4 am looking for them." he smiled with a nervous tick. "And the best about this story is that when I got home she had devoured an entire pack of random cookies mother made for us by Christmas so in the end, Sage didn't want the really expensive cookies that I spent an hour looking for."

As he ended the spontaneous rant with a strange and eerie laughter, Kol and Nik pondered about their reactions and next words.

"I made pancakes for Caroline the other night because we were watching a marathon of  _Game of Thrones_ and she kept saying how hungry she was." Nik tried to offer some sort of comfort that was dismissed by Finn who shook his head.

"You have no idea what my life has turned into. There are no appeasing words to deal with how uncomfortable it is to shop for artifacts that will massage and pump milk out of my wife's breasts."

"FINN!" The other two let out with a synchronized aghast expression.

"Welcome to my parent world." he sighed.

Kol finally closed his laptop, the urgent matter regarding the duties he had left in the army was settled for now and he tilted his head at the other two. "If you are both here, who is in charge of the office today?"

Finn looked at Nik acknowledging the imminent dangerous situation. "You reckon that mother will be back soon?"

"Most likely." Kol answered checking for any new messages from Bonnie.

Finn stood up. "We're going to your house." he pointed at Nik.

"Why mine? We should go over to yours... you have honey cookies and all." Nik hated having guests at his house.

"I also have my beautiful wife there and this one still lives at home." Finn pointed at Kol. "We need a safe refuge for our shameful ways today, mother will not be pleased to know that we decided to slack at work today."

Kol mockingly pretended to laugh at the joke headed his way and looked at Nik. "We could go over to Elijah's and have fun by rearranging everything."

"Now that would be fun but I don't have a key to his house." Nik stood aware that his home was the final destination, he looked at Kol who left the laptop on the table before grabbing a jacket. "What were you doing earlier anyway?"

"You know when they say in motion pictures that if I told you, I would have to kill you? That's pretty much accurate."

"So hilarious." Nik said closing the front door.

Kol hesitated but decided to take his car because he had an eventful afternoon planned; he looked at Nik before getting inside the car. "Perhaps not kill you but I would get into trouble if I shared secrets."

Nik grinned. "Good luck keeping a secret in this family."

* * *

Vaughn smiled because of the blonde waiting for him in the parking lot, she looked particularly beautiful today, with a braid that caught all of her long hair on the right side. "Good morning Rebekah." he closed the door of his car, he walked as he locked it without lingering around as she apparently expected of him.

She went after him resolute. "We need to talk."

"I got that from the down to business look." he smiled at a few of his other female students, they giggled enchanted with the attention and remained in the hallway whispering about him which he only encouraged by looking back at them.

"You need to change that grade, I never had bad grades before and now I can't sleep because I have one." Rebekah cut his vision to the idiots lusting after him.

He held the door of his office for her while flirting without shame. "Is there any chance that the lack of sleep is because of something else?"

She went inside the office avoiding his burning blue eyes or the new haircut, if she had to be detailed about all the things she noticed this morning about him. "I don't deserve that grade, I showed my brother Nik the exam and he is an expert in History..." she made sure Vaughn knew that. "He now wants me to take this to the Dean."

Vaughn stopped before dropping his bag on the desk. "I suppose I could take into account how pretty your handwriting is."

She was mad and the way she crossed her arms was a loud statement of it. "I demand that you grade me with justice."

"I know that you are very upset but I like pushing my students to outdo themselves, all the answers that you gave me were accurate and very precise but at some point it felt as if I was reading a boring book and that is why I gave you such a bad review. I instigate my students to be passionate and to go beyond what is written on books and poorly recreated on summer blockbusters. Find what history really hides behind the stories we have all listened to so many times and show me that you can be a different student, something more than the lull librarian and I might just change that nagging stain on your perfect academic life."

"Will you let me do the exam again?" she asked trying to understand what he wanted from her and where he was headed with all of this.

"I'll provide you with a better solution." Vaughn opened his bag and took a pad from inside that he handed her.

She frowned because it was blank. "What's this?"

"Choose a theme, something besides the obvious and write an essay about it. I want an accurate display of the historian facts of course but with your own vision about what happened and I expect passion with a refreshing view of the well-known specifics that we all read about."

Rebekah touched her hair, it was something that always brought her clearance when she needed to think about things that she couldn't fully control. "How much time do I have for this assignment?"

"Two months, a time during which we will meet to see how you are progressing and to help you with all the doubts that I'm sure will consume you."

"Why are you doing this?" she held the pad closer while her eyes wandered to the tight blue shirt and the silver necklace that was bound to call attention over his muscled chest.

He added a smile that surely belonged to a player. "You are a brilliant student Rebekah, clearly you are one of those who can achieve anything they set out to do but sadly the one that other teachers overlook because they think that you have reached all of your potential already. I believe that they are wrong and I want to push you further, I want you to think outside the box and to excel beyond what you think your limits are."

Her big eyes smiled as much as her lips, the speech was alluring and a true challenge and she tried looking away from the short blonde hair but maybe that's where she should have stayed because now their eyes were engaged in a silent talk.

* * *

"Do you have anything else but bourbon?" Finn asked moving bottles around.

Nik quickly ended the judging fit that included reorganizing his bottles. "No." he took one and handed it to Finn, quietly sending him away from his expensive collection of vintage alcohol.

"Are you really allowing Caroline to show these to the poshy side of New York?"

Nik turned to his other nuisance, the one going through his paintings that were scattered on the huge table.  
Caroline was still trying to decided which ones to use and he was trying to push the ones he liked the most by placing them on top of the pile but she was stubborn that one and always looked past his choices calling them safe ones.

He rescued one that Kol inspected with a strange face.

"It looks very angst driven." Kol took another painting from the table.

Finn approached the table handing Kol a drink and almost spilling it over the precious art. "You should paint babies, they invoke happy feelings." he took one canvas from the table as well.

Nik retrieved his art from their insolent hands and scolded them equally. "Could you not touch anything?"

Kol raised his hands. "Touchy Nik..."

"I'm doing this because my girlfriend wants to help your Bonnie." he reminded Kol and then faced Finn who was happily on his second drink already. "And are you even on board with this offspring? You haven't done anything else but complain about it."

"I'm happy..." Finn mumbled into the glass.

Nik rolled his eyes and carefully placed his art back on the table, not that he was even contemplating the idea but he liked to believe that if he ever had a baby with Caroline he wouldn't complain all the time about the lack of sex and all the things that came along with a pregnancy. "Sage is your wife and you are days away from having a baby girl, and you are setting an awful example for the rest of us when you can't even choose a name for her. Not to mention that I'm finding it hard to believe that your relationship with Sage is based purely on sex."

Finn held the glass close to his heart with a solemn face while Kol simply smiled. "Well... he showed you."

"I  _am_  happy…" Finn weakly defended.

"You are home." a sweet cheerful voice filled the art room as Caroline came inside putting her keys away.

Nik left his brothers to kiss her. "They are touching everything." he complained as if they were alone in the room.

Caroline smiled knowing he was very serious and looked at the others, Finn was already walking towards her and sweetly kissed her cheek before leaving.

"I have to go home and appreciate how lucky I am."

She was a bit clueless but all right, if that's what he wanted.  
Nik's phone became alive with a call from Rebekah that he took in another room leaving Kol and Caroline alone.

"I'm meeting Bonnie in a few." she smiled at Kol.

Kol nodded at her. "I'm going as well but I wanted to speak to you before we leave."

"What is it?" she asked suspecting his half-serious expression.

"We have a wedding to ruin!"

"Do you have a good plan?" Caroline asked with sparkling eyes of excitement.

"Of course I do darling but I will need your help."

She gave him her heart-stopping smile. "Uh, it sounds like you have something very evil conjured."

Kol grinned, she had no idea.

* * *

Esther tried not to smile too much because she wasn't sure how much these women took a smile as a kind gesture or something forced and very unwelcome.

"I had a hard time believing when they said that you were here." Bonnie was still stunned to have the Mikaelson pillar on her work place.

"Darling, how are you? Kol told me about your mother..." Esther warmly touched Bonnie's shoulder.

"He doesn't even know about the last development, they called me from LA and she ran away from the hospital without leaving a trace and I'm not even surprised about it." Bonnie said in that peculiar way of showing strength although she was close to tears.

Esther sighed for a second before taking the courageous girl into her arms. "I am here if you need anything Bonnie and I mean anything." she reinforced her will.

Bonnie closed her eyes enjoying the rare moment of maternal love, anything remotely close to this in the past always came from the borrowed mother she gained through her friendship with Kol. "Thank you Esther."

The older woman smiled while stroking her long dark hair. "So beautiful…" she sighed again. "I would have such stunning grandchildren…" she smiled and gave Bonnie sweet puppy eyes.

Bonnie opened her mouth in a baffled split second that she should have seen coming. "I'm getting married to another man."

"Who is not as stunning as my little rebel." Esther kept her smile. "Just admit that you love him as much as he has always loved you."

Bonnie walked to her office taking the older woman with her, she was eager to have this talk away from the busy corridor. "It's a different kind of love." she said once inside the small office.

"I know my son Bonnie and I know that he is far from perfect, though a mother's heart is always biased but he loves you, this is as certain as the moon showing up tonight."

Bonnie found a small vacant spot on her busy desk and leaned against it. "I won't do this Esther, I'm not going down this road with Kol. I'm just the next girl he suddenly decided he needed to have, I refuse to be the current obsession until he goes back to his blonde phase." she tried to stop the tired loud breath but it still came painfully out of her.

Esther moved in her chair reaching out for Bonnie's hand. "Are you planning on going blonde? It would look good but the dark hair suits your eyes better."

Bonnie laughed, it was so typical of Esther to drop an easy moment when they were trying to be serious, something that Kol had inherited and perfected along the years.

But other woman was also capable of touching the core of a situation like it was the easiest thing in the world to do. "I know my place and as much as I have taken you into our family and truly considered you an extension to my other five children... I know that I'm not your mother. Despite all the times I wanted to be there because Abby wasn't, she's still your mother but I beg you to consider my motherly words Bonnie… I'm concerned about this wedding. I know the smiling girl who took Kol's bed so many times forcing him to sleep on the sofa and she is not happy now." Like a skillful surgeon Esther always knew when to be invasive and make the wound bleed just enough.

Bonnie stroked the back of her neck. "I just have a lot of work and the truth is that Kol's abrupt interest and then the kiss kind of left me shaken but not nearly enough to make me break off an engagement." she stated the obvious, at least in her eyes.

Esther smiled able to read Bonnie just like she could read her full-grown men who sometimes stubbornly thought they didn't need her any longer, she came near Bonnie with sweetness and kindness and stroked her cheek with the back of her hand. "We, the strong independent women always fall into relationships that destroy our wings. I stayed with Mikael when I knew he was not good for me and even after he was callous towards our children I still stayed. Perhaps you want to prove to yourself that you are able to make this work unlike what happened between your parents or even with the women that seek for your help but you should remember darling that it takes a lot more strength to let go."

Bonnie looked down from the woman knowing how much she was tapping into the truth.

Esther smiled knowing it but didn't push Bonnie any further, she knew that Bonnie was a smart woman and that her work here was done; well, she looked around the small cluttered office, maybe she could come over and help Bonnie with the community work, she did have the time and all.  
The girl clearly needed help and she instantly nurtured the idea of becoming useful to the shelter.

* * *

"I trust that you will keep in touch with me?" the tall man asked just before leaving Elijah's office.

The Mikaelson nodded and shook hands with the judge again. "You will be hearing from me soon. If they make this official, things might not look good for Luka and I'm afraid his name is mentioned a few times on that report."

The man somberly shook his head. "The Captain is an old friend from college, he gave me the heads up unofficially but I suspected this wouldn't be good for us... still I wanted to check with you first."

Elijah smiled, he wasn't taking Luka's defense lightly but Judge Martin was a good man who didn't deserve the bad son he had, besides Elijah still believed every man was entitled to a fair defense. "I will call you soon, I give you my word." he affectionately said goodbye to the other one.

The judge nodded leaving the office and politely smiling at April who held the door for him, she closed it with a worried frown for Elijah. "Are you really ok with this? I mean..." she clasped her hands. "You are going to defend a dirty cop who will marry the girl your younger brother loves."

He touched his tie slowly. "I'm concerned with Kol's reaction, he has an unpredictable temper."

April smiled coming near him. "I'm here no matter what, if you get disowned by the family I will be your crying shoulder."

Elijah shook his head sternly. "That wasn't funny April."

She held back a laugh. "Do you want some tea?"

"With Scotch…" he narrowed his eyes smiling as she gave him a cute laughter.

"I can tell that we have another long night ahead of us so I'm ordering some food for tonight in advance." she quickly picked her phone dialing the number of the closest Japanese restaurant.

Elijah watched her with a warm feeling, their dinner had been a pleasure.  
April was intelligent and interesting and they were the last couple to leave the restaurant lost in talks that didn't revolve around their time-consuming work and tonight he found himself short of reasons to not want her around during his late shift.

* * *

"Bonnie are you coming out today?" Caroline shouted into the booth.

"Do you promise not to make fun of me?" the weak voice asked from the other side of the curtain.

"No one is making fun of you B, now just come out." Kol said flicking through a silly magazine full of wedding dresses and smiling blondes.

"Why are you here again?" the voice asked with a little more force.

Kol smiled. "Stop pouting and just come out already, darling."

"Today Bonnie." Caroline urged when Bonnie fell silent again.

After a few seconds she finally came out after moving the red curtain in fear. "I look like a giant bell." she said clutching the white fabric in her hands nervous.

"You look so pretty…" Caroline melted with the view of her friend in a beautiful white dress that tucked her cleavage and then fell perfectly in a wide skirt.

Kol looked up from the magazine gulping down, he was definitely not ready for this.

Bonnie smiled at him and opened her hands. "How do I look?"

He licked his lips wavering. "Pretty."

It wasn't the answer she was quite expecting but she still held her own. "I have a few more options to try…" she was uncertain about her first choice.

"Go try another dress." Caroline said cheerfully and waited until Bonnie was out of sight to scold Kol. "We need to be mean not to say that she looks pretty."

Kol gave her a judging look. "She did look beautiful and mind you that this is not exactly a walk in the park knowing that she wants to wear that for another man and that if we mess this flawless plan of mine, he will be stripping that from her body on their wedding night."

"Hence why we have to be mean and ruthless." Caroline whispered shaking her fist in the air fiercely.

They looked at Bonnie again when she came out.

"This one?" she opened her arms wearing a pretty dress but with an awful laced front.

"Much better darling." Kol said with a big smile.

"Really?" Bonnie asked very unsure.

"I like it." Caroline said trying to keep a straight face.

"I'm going to try another one..." Bonnie pressed her lips turning away.

Kol had a satisfied smile upon his perfect findings and folded the magazine handing it to Caroline. "This is what you will be wearing."

Caroline flinched with the tacky bridesmaid dress he picked for her. "Peach is not my color." her skin was wrinkling in agony.

"It is now..." Kol winced because of the awful dress Bonnie now showed them, the long baggy sleeves went wider by the wrists and the way it hugged her chest all the way to her throat leaving the back exposed was just bizarre.

"Perfect!" Caroline clapped happy and stood up, she looked back at Kol waiting for his reaction.

He finally moved when she slightly widened her eyes at him. "I agree… it's…" he had a longer breath. "Breathtaking."

Bonnie eyed them suspicious. "No it's not, I was just goofing around because I needed a good laugh."

Caroline made a sad face. "But it's so… special and different."

"I like the way it stands out." Kol opinionated with a big smile.

Bonnie glared at them. "This looks like the white wedding version of the Addams Family."

"I always had a thing for Morticia… she was hot." Kol sighed in a daydream.

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "I'm going to change, none of you can take a joke when I really needed one." she pushed the dress up her shoulder, it stubbornly kept on sliding down.

Caroline took charge knowing this was the perfect timing for her strike. "Bon... listen to me, I'm an expert in art and fashion and this dress is like Jean Paul Gaultier."

"Can't I have Vera Wang? I mean, not a real one because I obviously can't afford it but at least something that resembles a bit?" Bonnie asked with a slump of her shoulders which allowed the dress to fall again.

Caroline had one of those perfect smiles. "Trust me, this is the dress you want to wear on the most important day of your life. The day that will change everything forever."

Bonnie nervously fixed her hair. "No pressure there…" she tried to smile.

Kol stepped in. "It is your choice lastly and we are here for you as your friends, to support you entirely in this vital moment in your life."

Bonnie couldn't shake the growing suspicion but their constant reference to how important the day was left her shaken. "I'll think about it..."

"There's not much time, you only have two weeks." Caroline looked thoughtful. "We need to choose the flowers, the wedding cake, the party and not to mention the guest list. There's so much to do before the big day."

"Yeah…" Bonnie said with dry lips that she kept on licking, she could even feel a dizzy fit approaching.

"I could take care of the party arrangements for you." Kol easily unfolded his careful plan.

"I can't afford any of this and Luka barely makes it to the end of the month on his salary alone." Bonnie quickly stopped the show.

"It's all on me, it's my wedding gift to the couple in love." Caroline smiled warmly at her friend.

"No Care… I can't."

"Shush silly and go change, we have bridesmaid dresses to choose… I was thinking of peach by the way."

Bonnie pulled her eyebrows together heavily in shock. "You threatened to kill me once if I ever made you wear peach or teal."

"Seeing you in white has sparkled my wedding frenzy flame. I'm set on making this, the wedding of the century and peach is the way." she said sure of herself. "I could also sing at the wedding."

"That would be interesting..." Kol was slightly worried that she was deviating from their plan but when she began to sing he relaxed.

"…  _and I… I…. I… will always looooove…."_

Her voice was awful and so off-key that it made Bonnie jump a little in surprise, then Caroline started shouting the chorus with will.

" _… youuuuuuu..."_ she pressed her shoulders closer and closed her eyes with feeling. "...  _uuuuu..."_ her hands were held closely to her chest and she stayed in her Diva status for a bit longer.

Kol was stunned, he had no idea how Caroline pulled such a bad version of this song, especially considering how much of a good singer she was.

"I'm going to change…" Bonnie said avoiding Caroline fast.

The blonde opened one eye watching her leave. "Always Bonnie… it's forever!" she shouted after the girl who seemed so pale to her.

"I think it's working." Kol said with hope.

"Of course it is. Your plan is brilliant." Caroline moved with him to another part of the store. "Making Bon realize how much of an epic mistake she is making is very smart and I will do anything in my reach to help you. I can't let her do this with schmuck Luka so we make her doubt and question the big tragic event, we push her until she calls this entire thing off."

"We have two weeks to sabotage this idiotic wedding any way we can."

"I trust that you will order the wrong wedding cake?"

"Coconut and cherry!" he named the two things Bonnie hated with passion.

Caroline smiled mischievously. "How will we keep  _the loser_  away?"

"How can he attend the vital meetings to address all the details if he gets the wrong directions, the wrong schedule… and the occasional slashed tire?" Kol smirked darkly.

Caroline squealed in a jittery way. "I am tingly with all this evilness surging inside of me."

"I sense a lot of hot sex for you and Nik but I need you focused Caroline, we can't mess this up. There is no way in hell I'm allowing Bonnie to become  _Mrs. Loser._ "

She nodded touching her lip. "I know… we should find a way to have him lose the first meetings with the priest and then have you there heroically taking his place for the rehearsal."

"I knew I'd chosen my partner in crime well."

She returned the beaming compliment. "We both love her and we want what's best for her." she prepared to leave so she could look for dreadful peach dresses but stopped at the last minute. "You do love her, right?"

Not many had seen Kol serious but he let Caroline in just this once. "With all of my damaged heart."

There was a whimper from Caroline. "You the Mikaelsons really know your way to a woman's heart." she left singing again.

Bonnie awkwardly smiled at another round of the Whitney song by Caroline as they crossed paths. "She's murdering that song." she said fighting to get her necklace back where it belonged, it fell after entangling with the zipper in one of the dresses.

Kol took the necklace and went around to her back to assist her. "She's living in her own wedding world now, we are just polite guests around here at the moment."

Bonnie looked at the floor building the courage. "Why are you helping me with this Kol?"

"It's just a necklace, darling." he said quietly smiling.

She faced him serious and he couldn't control his hand that moved to her face caressing all that soft skin, he wanted to kiss her cheek before moving to her lips that haunted him but not as much as her eyes that were the last thing he thought about before losing consciousness when he was shot and the first thing he recalled when he woke up on the hospital.

"I thought about what you said and you were right." he explained. "We were friends for so long that I missed my chance to see the woman in front of me, now you made your choice and as your best friend I'm here to see you smile and be happy with the man you chose."

"Just like that?" her voice was failing her but it was fair to expect as much when his speech was changing as fast as she claimed it would.

"I just want you to be happy." he said leaving her face.

A cold unexpectedly took over the skin he wasn't touching any longer and she couldn't think of a thing to say so she simply nodded.

His phone started buzzing and he took the call affectionately. "Where are you?"

Bonnie expected to hear one of the sibling names next but strangely reacted with surprise when he said the name of some girl instead, he looked around the store and raised his arm waving at someone and ended his call.  
Bonnie looked in the direction that he was facing not recognizing the tall brunette with spiky hair and a debonair smile.

"Adorable store." she said kissing Kol on the cheek as easily as two old friends or even something more as Bonnie noticed the way he lingered on her cheek when he kissed her back.

"This is my friend Bonnie."

She was aware he was pointing at her because the other attractive woman smiled at her.

"You are the one getting married, Kol told me all about it." the brunette said in a heavy British accent.

"Yes…" Bonnie answered moving her eyes from the woman towards Kol.

"This is Rose, she's the doctor that saved my life." he carried on with the introductions.

Rose cutely blushed. "You make it sound like I had my hand that close to your heart."

"You did." he squinted and the two of them started laughing.

Bonnie grew uncomfortable.  
She grimaced watching the way they easily laughed and shared a story that it was only theirs, up until now that had been her thing with Kol, the one thing that no one else had with him but her.

Now a fancy British doctor stood before her with perfect hair and elegant clothes threatening all of her reality, suddenly she became aware of exactly how much things were in danger of changing and she wasn't happy at all.  
Kol fought to keep his control, this was by far the hardest part of his plan but if everything else was somehow capable of failing him at some point, jealousy was not.

* * *

**Soundtrack:**

White Wedding -  _Billy Idol_


	9. Fire

Caroline was preparing to finish her shower, she just decided to linger a bit longer under the hot stream of water when he joined her and she smiled as his big hands trailed her shoulders.

"Good morning..." he said in that familiar husky voice before he kissed her wet shoulder.

"Don't even think about it." she looked at him. "I have a really busy day and I'm meeting your sister for breakfast so don't…" she closed her eyes losing her trail of speech as he traced her skin with soft kisses. "… do that." she whispered leaning against his chest while his hands began to caress her body in all that knowing way of his.

Nik moved his lips sinfully all the way up to her earlobe, his tongue played with it while his hands cupped her breasts and Caroline responded with a moan.  
Rebekah could rant later about Caroline's lack of punctuality all she wanted, he intended to take his time with his irresistible girlfriend.

* * *

Rebekah huffed scratching on paper another silly idea for her assignment, she hit the pen against the pad and checked on the time; what a giant surprise, Caroline was almost an hour late.  
She rested her chin on her hand tapping her cheek and looking at the girls sitting at the other table, they were laughing and one of them showed her new shoes visibly happy with the ugly cat trapped around her foot.

Rebekah rolled her eyes annoyed, Caroline was late and she was missing the perfect chance to mock fashion taste, she picked her cell phone without moving her head but her eyes widened with the message on the screen.  
Rebekah scrolled down after opening it and though it was just a small list of history events that she could use, the source left her troubled.

She quickly closed the message hoping that would stop the way her heart was reacting to the simple visualization of his name, still she scribbled it on the pad lazily. "Vaughn..." she said reading her work.

"Who's that?"

Rebekah jumped startled because she completely missed Bonnie arriving to the table. "He's my history teacher and he's making my life horrible." she closed the pad and forced a sweet smile. "I forgot that you were joining us for breakfast."

"I only have a few minutes and I'm guessing that Caroline is running late again." Bonnie cocked an eyebrow.

"I'm bewildered that they even leave the house at all." she heard her phone again but ignored it, afraid that it was another message from Vaughn.

Bonnie smiled pointing down the street where a blonde in flawless white shorts and matching blazer rushed to them.

"I'm sorry..." she started apologizing before she was even close to the girls. "I'm so sorry." she clutched a flat square blue handbag against her chest. "I got…"

"Delayed!" The other two said at the same time.

Caroline smiled pulling the chair assigned to her. "Nik and his hands and…" she made a lot of hand gestures while the others pulled a vomit expression, that made her giggle but she was slightly upset because she was expected to be here before Bonnie, so that she could tell Rebekah about the secret plan.

"I don't have much time so I'm just leaving this with you." Bonnie unfolded a piece of paper with very few names on it. "It's mostly Luka's family."

"Is this your guest list?" Caroline was horrified.

"Yes." Bonnie indulged in her hot coffee trying to sound casual about it. "I don't have many relatives."

"The only name from your side of the family is your father…" Caroline tilted her head to Bonnie. "I don't see the Mikaelsons on the list." she said slowly, almost in a whisper.

Rebekah snatched the paper from the blonde's hand. "Where is my name?" she asked appalled.

"Luka doesn't want Kol at the wedding or anyone from his family..." Bonnie nervously spoke touching her hair.

"Well, I'm not going anywhere without Nik." Caroline was mystified with the news.

"Luka is just being stubborn, he knows how important you are to me and he won't be against Nik."

"My brother is your best friend, why wouldn't he be at the wedding? And what about me? I know that we aren't that close but I look good in peach." Rebekah shook her head upset.

"Girls… it's just a small wedding and I would skip the party if Kol and Caroline didn't insist on organizing it."

Rebekah stopped Bonnie with her hand cutting air as she moved it fiercely. "You only get married once."

Bonnie gulped down losing some steady heartbeats while Caroline discreetly touched her chest, Rebekah was on to the plan, she should have trusted the family's inability to keep a secret.

"I… know that." Bonnie started folding her napkin.

"I mean it Bonnie. What God puts together…" Rebekah had her coffee watching the other fold that napkin meticulously.

"I don't know anyone who is still married to their first choice." Bonnie opened the napkin and looked at Rebekah. "Do you?"

"Finn and Sage!" Rebekah grinned.

"Babies…" Caroline pulled her lower lip above her upper one adorably. "Cute adorable and tiny little babies." she smiled at Bonnie.

"Babies…" the other one searched for the waiter. "Can you bring me a bottle of water? Thanks…" she rubbed her temple. "Really, babies?" she looked at Caroline.

Caroline kept her sweet look. "Have you imagined yourself as big as Sage and expecting a mini Luka?"

Bonnie gulped down dryly and loudly. "I don't… think we will be having babies so soon."

"Of course that you will. He looks like the type of man who wants five children and a Labrador." Rebekah pretended to be busy with her phone but glanced over to Caroline as Bonnie stared down on the table.

Caroline winked at Rebekah and they both went serious when Bonnie jolted her head up.

"Do you think that this is… a mistake?"

"No." The other two fiercely answered at the same time.

Bonnie had most of her water in one take, she rubbed her eyebrow jittery. "Because it feels strange to think of my future so permanently."

"Well…" Rebekah evilly started but dropped the sentence at once, for drama.

"Hold that thought…" Bonnie asked her while her eyes followed the couple approaching in a heated conversation.

"Look at that, all my darlings in one table." Kol stopped next to his sister and smiled effortlessly at all of them.

Rose waved at the girls with a big smile as well.

"We are planning the big day." Caroline easily informed the couple.

Kol nodded. "I'll leave you all to it then, I also have a few errands today but Rose wanted to try the pancakes."

Bonnie clutched the napkin in her hand. "They are amazing."

Kol looked at Rose. "They are Bonnie's favorite pancakes in all of New York."

Rose took Kol's arm. "I can't wait to try them, since they come so highly recommended."

"Allow me to buy you breakfast then." he led them inside sharing a complicity look with her.

Bonnie had the rest of her water upset which was spotted by Caroline.

"I like Rose, she's nice." Caroline said to Rebekah.

"She's gorgeous and Kol was telling me all about her last night. He really thinks highly of her, well truth be told the woman saved his life so the qualities are all there."

"Guess that's why he is paying for the food willingly." Bonnie said bitterly while playing with her ear and taking a look inside the coffee shop.

"Are you ok?" Caroline asked her.

"I'm fine." she was assertive and searched for her bag. "I'm also really late." Bonnie placed the long brown strap on her shoulder and tucked the top of the old bag filled with papers and bills. "I'll call you girls later today."

"We have churches to look at." Caroline reminded her serious.

Bonnie smiled and waved at the girls, she walked away pulling the brown cardigan closer for comfort.

"She is so jealous of him…" Caroline said with a warm feeling, she wanted her two friends together so she could organize a real wedding.

"Are you taking this list serious?" Rebekah looked at the names Luka came up with.

Caroline gave the other a look. "Seriously?"

"Aren't you in charge of the invitations?"

"Don't they all live in Australia? Because that's where I'm sending the invitations." she replied as evil as she felt.

* * *

"Thank you for doing this Rose…" Kol couldn't say it enough.

"Don't be silly Mikaelson, this is the least I could do after causing a family crisis with my fast mouth."

"You couldn't know that I was coy about what really happened out there."

"But I could have been more cautious and less rude with my tongue, so don't worry. I will help you with anything I can, Bonnie is stunning Kol and I really hope you get the girl because I like the way you look at her."

Kol stared into his coffee. "I had the girl, I just didn't know I had her..."

"That happens a lot, before my current partner I was a loose bullet…" she came to a halt. "No pun intended."

Kol laughed leaving her at ease and she joined him after awkwardly apologizing again.

* * *

Matt was still finding it hard to believe Rebekah was actually in the library and it was a double surprise that she wasn't invested in the latest Vogue but in an actual book. "Have you suddenly become an exemplar student? If so, what have you done with my girlfriend?" Matt asked her in a whisper before kissing her cheek and sitting across her.

"I'm an excellent student Matt." her reply came a bit harsh.

"Easy there Beks… I was just surprised with the message to meet you here."

"I have this awful essay and I can't decide which theme to choose and time is already limited."

"You have really good grades, why are you so worried about this one class?" he was lost with her sudden intense focus in history.

"You know that I always fight to excel in everything I do… this is no exception." she looked at her book and at all the notes she made, her hand covered the name she scribbled earlier and she felt a rush of guilt that made her blush. "Do you want to have lunch?" she asked closing everything on the table.

"Sure…" Matt laughed in his easy ways. "I knew this phase wouldn't last long."

She fretfully laughed and kissed him once she was near him.  
Engaged in the lovely moment, the couple wasn't aware of the teacher gawking just a few tables away.

* * *

"I know Caroline… I'll be at the church, I promise." Bonnie said into her phone while trying to move along the hallway without bumping into people, she was carrying a huge box with clothes which made her task hard to achieve.

Finally a volunteer took the box from her hands and Bonnie was able to relax.

"Okay Care, I really have to go if I intend to leave anything remotely in order today before you take me on a crazy church hunt… I love you too." she pressed red in her phone and rubbed her forehead, what had she planned to do next?

Oh right, someone complained about the leaking roof in the room where the children played.

Bonnie opened the door grimacing at the black ceiling filled with stains and dark water pools. "Great..." she stepped inside, obviously the room was off-limits now but that meant that the children would have to play in another room she didn't have vacant or outside where the weather was anything but stable.

Perhaps if she moved the table under the big leak and had something under it to catch the water she could still use the room, she looked outside but everyone was busy preparing lunch so she pushed her sleeves up and started dragging the table to that part of the room.  
She stopped a few times because the table was big and heavy but if anything Bonnie was not a quitter.

"Busy B!" Kol took her by surprise.

"What are you doing here?" she looked at the door stunned.

"I heard the women from the other day asked about me, the dashing soldier that made their hearts race and their palms sweaty." he shamelessly wiggled his eyebrows.

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "Shut up and help me with this."

Kol easily picked his end of the table and helped her carry it to the other side of the room, she sighed hoping her idea would work when a big piece of the ceiling fell and crashed on top of the table.

"Well that's timing." Kol chuckled looking at the hole in the ceiling that revealed a new set of problems with the plumbing.

"I'm going to throw myself under the first cab I see." Bonnie stared at the table where another portion of the ceiling fell.

"Hey…" Kol took her shoulders gently.

She was lethargic and she kept moving her head in a nod. "I am… this house is literally falling apart, it's overcrowded and I can't take anyone else in, I will need a complete new plumbing system, a renovation of the house that I can't afford and I'm getting married."

Kol started rubbing her shoulders soothingly and moved to a subtle massage. "At least three of the things on that list can be easily solved."

She smiled but didn't face him. "My life is a mess…"

"I know…" he softly said moving his fingers skillfully.

Bonnie closed her eyes with a big loud sigh. "When did you learn to do that?"

"It's probably not the best time to remind you that I dated a massage therapist." he dropped cautiously.

Bonnie snapped away from her little heavenly moment and away from his sinful hands. "Caroline is waiting for me."

"I know, I came to drive you there because she was worried you wouldn't show up." Kol said with a smile but she was avoiding his eyes and left the room fast, he looked behind with a horrified expression, the doomed ceiling just kept on falling.

* * *

"Mother… what a wonderful surprise." Elijah welcomed his mother with a big smile and a kiss on her cheek.

"I promise not to take much of your expensive time." she said quickly taking the chair he pulled for her.

"That's that mean that I can mail you the invoice?" he asked taking the one next to her.

She smiled, Elijah had such a peculiar sense of humor that always warmed her heart, she reached for the hand of her handsome son after the effortless moment. "Do you remember that dreadful big mansion that your father insisted on buying and that we couldn't sell after the divorce was settled?"

"Yes… we decided to keep it in case any of us wanted it once we were older."

"Well Finn has his own property now, you have your beautiful apartment with that incredible view to the Park and Nik has his… attic." she threw her hands in the air still having a problem with his choice of housing.

Elijah laughed. "Mother, he lives in a very luxury expensive loft condominium that he designed with Caroline. Everything in there is custom-made and I assure you that he lives far better than any of us do, with the exception of Kol who still lives at home."

"So does Rebekah, when she's not at college or at some concert or sleeping at her friend's dorm." Esther raised her eyebrow perfectly aware that her baby girl spent a few nights with her boyfriend.

"None of us wanted that big property that father bought for us."

"No one wanted to leave the tree house behind." Esther smiled remembering the big fight that had her support, the tree house was like a sixth baby to her. It was where she had wine watching the sunset when she was alone at the house. "But I have plans for the unwanted house now."

"Sounds intriguing."

"I went by Haven and it's such a beautiful project but Bonnie can't do more with that house, she already pushed the shelter and herself to every limit and we have that big mansion going to waste along with the beautiful useful property around it."

Elijah ran his hand over the dark blue tie he was wearing today. "Charity is deductible on taxes and it would be good for the winery to be associated with such a project."

"We sell wine… wouldn't it be a bit of a clash?" she was concerned.

"They are not Alcoholics in recovery mother, they are women who have suffered a great deal and that could use a good glass of wine. Preferably surrounded by all that peaceful green around the house."

She smiled happy. "Will you work something out so that I can present the project to your brothers and then to Bonnie?"

"Of course mother, I'll ask April to prepare it all, I'm sure she will have it done by the end of the week."

Esther stood up excited. "Bonnie will be in charge of everything of course and I will only come in as the money provider. We will merely be moving everyone out of that awful old house and giving them a new home."

"It's a really good project actually and I'm sure everyone will support you."

Esther stroked his cheek. "I'm blessed to have such good children."

Elijah smiled a bit awkwardly. "I wanted to speak to you about something before you leave."

"April?" she ventured with a sneaky smile.

He faltered nervous. "That as well…"

His mother became serious when he did.

"I might be getting on Kol's bad side soon… because of my new client." Elijah gravely said.

She sat back down on the chair, this couldn't be good.

* * *

"This is a beautiful church." Kol said with a spin to properly have a look around it.

"I know, right?" Caroline opened her arms really excited. "I fell in love with it when I was driving by."

Bonnie smiled, she liked the beautiful painted ceiling contrasting with the white walls, it was truly beautiful and small like she had secretly hoped Caroline would choose. "I like it." she approved with a bigger smile.

"Awesome!" Caroline said super excited and rushed to the altar with clapping hands.

"Where is your new lady friend?" Bonnie asked Kol casually.

"She had another interview at the hospital that wants to hire her." he smiled knowing she was jealous.

"She's pretty… and not your typical blonde."

"She's just a friend."

Bonnie smiled but he knew she wasn't honest about it, they both looked at Caroline who came with a really young man wearing a strange faded purple tunic over his clothes.

"This is Father Timothy Been." Caroline introduced the man who smiled raising his hand.

"Ah, please call me Tim." he begged with a cluck of his tongue.

Bonnie eyed the man with worry. "Are you my priest?"

He solemnly nodded losing the easy smile. "I'm sorry for your loss… tell me, how can I comfort you?"

"You can marry me..." she said slowly leaning her head to look at Caroline who gave her two thumbs up.

"Oh, the wedding! You are not here for the burial." he panicked.

"Depends on the point of view really." Kol said behind Bonnie with a smirk he kept from her as she sternly scolded him.

The priest began to take his tunic off, fighting to get it over his head.  
Bonnie looked away when he began to struggle with the collar that was stuck, Kol held back a laughter while Caroline helped him.

"Here… just…" she pushed the thing harder over his head.

He straightened his suit and his hair and looked at Bonnie with a composed face. "This is for funerals…" he tossed the long vest to the front row seats. "I'll be wearing creme on the day of your wedding." he nervously laughed. "Do you wish to take the tour around the church?"

"I guess…" Bonnie said wary and smiled with effort.

"Isn't the groom coming?" he asked Kol when he didn't move to follow them.

"He is my friend, Luka is the groom but he is a police officer and he was held back at work." Bonnie clarified.

The priest nodded. "Very well, I would like to show you the majestic organ first." he pointed at the balcony. "I would love to play the entrance to the bride before I ran back down to perform the actual ceremony."

Bonnie stared at him as they headed for the stairs.

"I have clearly underestimated you." Kol mumbled next to Caroline.

She laughed low and in a sinister way. "I couldn't believe how lucky I was when I found him, it will be his first official act as a priest." she looked at Kol when he remained silent. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Kol was very serious. "I'm waiting for you to burst into flames."

She laughed a bit louder and nudged him with her elbow playfully. "It's perfect for what we want. By the way, nice touch with the English Doctor."

"Definitely stirring up a few waves with Bonnie."

"But there is no chance of things escalating between you the doctor, right?"

"Rose plays for the other team." Kol answered with a precious whisper.

"Oh… OH!" Caroline realized the meaning of it. "Damn, you are good!"

"I'm going to hell if she falls in love with Bonnie though."

Caroline bit her lip. "I'm the one going to hell because of all the sexual things your brother does to me."

Kol looked at Bonnie now laughing at something the priest said, she always had that small tick of covering her mouth when she laughed with will, she had been through so much that somehow her body assumed a defense mechanism when there was the briefest happiness.  
He hated that she laughed so little since he returned, that the natural glow in her green eyes was lost and he wished nothing but to see her smile everyday and laugh with joy, and to do a lot of things with her that would grant him a ticket to hell as well.

Kol snapped out of his risky thoughts and looked at Caroline. "We should wait outside."

"She will come around Kol." Caroline said once they were alone. "She's already having doubts, she just needs a little push." she poked his chest. "It's up to you to do the rest, I have to go back to the gallery and send a bunch of invitations to everyone in your family."

Kol watched his partner in crime leave and looked at the door of the church where Bonnie was exiting with a big dreaded face.

"Is there any way we can prove that he is a real priest?"

"He's young but he has a week to learn everything."

"A week and a half." she corrected him.

Kol reached out to touch her cheek. "Are you sure this is what you want to do B?"

"What is?" she asked a bit dazed.

"Do you want to get married darling… to another man?" he added slowly.

His hand cupped her cheek entirely and her heart began to beat faster in a way that was new to her. "You can't…" she weakly said as he inched closer to her.

He snaked an arm around her waist. "Can't what?" he asked in that mix of bravery and smugness that defied him.

"You can't kiss me again." she tried to be unwavering.

Kol smirked at her. "Love, that wasn't a kiss…"

She squinted with his words.

"This is a kiss…" he lost the smile and his lips came closer to hers, at first he brushed them only but when she was about to speak and push him away, he pressed her to him and his tongue traced her lips darting inside of her mouth before she could properly react.

As he powerfully engaged her tongue, Bonnie felt a strange fire start inside of her and her body went with it, her arms circled around his neck and she answered his invitation.  
Kol's tongue started dancing with hers, making her forget how wrong it was and that she should be ordering him to stop, not inviting him to go on by moaning helplessly in bliss for the amazing way he moved his tongue against hers.

She pulled his wild hair and even pressed her lips harder against his when he left a smaller kiss on her lower lip.  
He smiled with a raced breath against her lips, it was a thousand times better than he imagined it would be and he touched her lips once more before pulling away from her.

"I'll pick you up at nine tomorrow, to go choose the cake."

Bonnie frowned confused and short of breath, cake?

He walked to his car keeping it cool.  
Fairly cool, considering how much he was itching to go back and kiss her again.

Bonnie staggered on the street before looking behind at the church.  
Oh God, the wedding with Luka.

She touched her burning lips and then rushed away from the church that was looking down on her sin.  
She licked her lips and pushed the hair away from her face as she walked down the street.

Now she understood the really dreamy look that all of his girlfriends had.

* * *

**Soundtrack:**

Fire –  _Plantinum Blonde (The Ohio Players cover)_


	10. When the heart speaks

"We are a cover band for the Gypsy Kings and we mostly stick to their songs but we could try other artists, as long as they have that gypsy flow about them." a man with really long straight black hair said while waving a hand heavily ornamented with golden rings in all of his fingers.

Caroline glanced over to Kol.

He gave her his best satisfied smile. "Perhaps a little demonstration would please my friend?"

The man immediately began to sing in a very husky voice, he did a Spanish version of  _Hotel California_ and Caroline waited until the chorus to start clapping entertained with the show but the man clapped with more energy and force than her, he also stumped his foot on the ground loudly and dragged his voice with a lot of flair.  
Caroline flinched touching her lips, the man seemed possessed, shaking his long hair giving feeling to his surprisingly good voice and she waited a few more seconds to make sure that the man was really done with his song, then she cheered with an enthusiastic clap of her hands.

Kol joined her blissful reaction. "That was fabulous Pablo."

The man moved his hand stopping their cheers at once. "I thank you very much."

"Yes… that was truly… inspiring." Caroline added.

The man took her hand and left a wet kiss on the back of it. "It was my pleasure to serenade such a beautiful woman."

She retrieved her hand with a smile. "I would save some of that charm for the wedding."

He laughed loudly and scribbled a few numbers on a piece of paper that he then handed Kol. "This is what we charge and we only drink red wine."

"I will make sure to add that to the menu." he replied serious and shook hands with the man wearing all black.

Caroline couldn't contain her smirk seeing the black cowboy boots under the attire as the man walked away.

"How perfect is he?" Kol sneered at her pleased with his findings.

"I don't mean to offend anyone but the word tacky comes to mind." she giggled. "Where did you find him?"

There was a pause from Kol, then he pulled an eyebrow up. "I went out with his sister once."

Caroline laughed. "Does she sing?"

"She makes one mean impersonation of JLo!"

Caroline laughed louder but she couldn't linger with Kol, she had a lot of things to do today at the Gallery.

* * *

Caroline arrived in a hurry and took her big sunglasses with a smile when she found the surprising guest waiting for her at work. "Bon!"

Bonnie beamed when she saw her friend. "Hey, I know that you are a really busy woman but I need to talk to you."

"I'm never busy for my best friend." Caroline assured her as they headed for her big office, unlike Bonnie's office, this one was filled with light that came through the big windows.

Bonnie sat on the big white sofa and twisted her fingers nervously, she touched her modest engagement ring, she couldn't sit still and stood from the sofa pacing around. "I kissed Kol."

Caroline held back her big smile and leaned against her desk. "How was it?"

Bonnie rubbed her forehead. "Wrong, very wrong. I'm engaged to someone else." she waved her hand at Caroline.

"Who is very cheap, I hate that ring." Caroline mumbled.

Bonnie stopped her motions to give her a judging look.

"I'm just being honest and we both know that Kol would get you a fine Cartier engagement ring."

"God…" Bonnie sat down again covering her tired eyes. "He has to stop kissing me."

"So this wasn't the first time?" Caroline was enjoying this conversation so much.

"He kissed me when he proclaimed his love for me." Bonnie faced her with a tight chest. "And then he really kissed me the day we went to the church."

Caroline played with her long earring. "And judging by the slight change of breath, the dreamy look in your eyes and the doubts he planted, I'd say the ability to kiss remarkably runs deep in the family."

"He's a really good kisser." Bonnie admitted in a whisper.

"Oh Bon… wait until the sex, that will really blow your mind."

Bonnie clenched her lips upset again, judging Caroline with her eyes harder.

"Just being honest." Caroline defended herself and came to the sofa, she sat next to her friend with a warm smile for her. "Do you really want to keep denying that you love Kol and not Luka?"

"I love them both." Bonnie weakly said.

"You are my closest friend and I just want you to be happy but Bonnie... I don't understand why you are being stubborn about this, specially now that Kol woke up to life."

"If I don't go through with the wedding, Luka will never speak to me again and I will lose his friendship as well; as for Kol… I'm scared that this is only a phase and that he will move on to the next blonde soon… or doctor."

Caroline tried to conceal her excitement over Bonnie's jealousy. "I am a bit worried about this Rose person… she has that entire _I saved your life_  vibe about her."

"And the accent and the sophisticated clothes." Bonnie grumbled looking down at the only decent pair of Denim she owned.

"How are things at the shelter?" Caroline asked sad that Bonnie always refused her help and her money.

"A wreck, like my life."

It broke Caroline's heart all the sadness in her friend and she took upon herself to at least make her smile a bit, even if that implied deviating from the master plan. "We are going out tonight." surely Kol would understand her reasons when she explained.

"What do you mean,  _out_?"

"I like to call it a girls' night out." Caroline's eyes sparkled in sheer excitement.

"I'm not sure…" Bonnie staggered with her words and her obvious lack of enthusiasm.

"Think of it as your bachelorette party."

"I'm not wearing anything on my head and there will be no silly pranks." she ferociously warned Caroline.

"But you could wear that nice dress I gave you for your birthday..." Caroline tilted her head adorably smiling.

Bonnie gave up shaking her head, how could one fight Caroline?  
Besides she absolutely loved that dress and sadly never had a chance to wear it.

* * *

"Yes, I know where it is... don't worry Care, I'll be there." Kol ended the call returning to the kitchen where the family was having a meeting.

"Everyone agrees then?" Elijah asked formally and looked around the table. No one was objecting but he already counted on it and asked April to prepare all the legal papers that Esther had to sign in advance. "After you sign these, we will set a meeting with Bonnie and make things official."

"Finally that dreadful enormous house is having a purpose." Rebekah left the table starting to gather her things for college.

"You could volunteer at the new shelter." Esther sweetly told her daughter who looked at her with a frown.

"I'm not very nice mother."

"Finally she admits the truth." Kol said under a quiet laughter from the rest of the siblings.

Rebekah smiled at them without meaning it. "You are all a bunch of pricks and I hate you all."

They all gave her a perfect smile that she shrugged off with a roll of her eyes.

"I will need someone to paint the house and to help with a few minor carpenter details." Esther eyed her strong men.

"Why can't you hire someone to do it?" Finn asked uneasily.

"Because that costs money and I'm already using a big portion of my savings on the new furniture Finn…"

"Well Nik is the artist, have him paint the house." Elijah said handing the papers to his mother.

"And I suppose you won't help because God forbids you might get your suit tainted." Nik grumbled upset.

"I already did my part with the paperwork and Finn can help you with the carpenter work, he is married and I'm sure he is used to fix things around his house." Elijah smiled at his older brother.

"Or maybe Sage is the one doing the housework because he faints at the sight of blood so he is eternally frightened to cut his finger." Nik dropped looking at Finn.

Finn winced appalled. "Have Kol do it, he is the one trying to impress the girl."

"Oh precious!" Kol complained annoyed that they were now all looking at him like it was all his fault.

Esther dropped the papers on the table with a big motion which pulled back their attention. "I did not raise four men to be this lazy and callous."

They all looked down on the table embarrassed and Rebekah smirked but it didn't last because Esther looked at her next. "And as for you young lady, you will find time after college to help because I did not raise you to be this detached."

Rebekah opened her mouth but she knew better and pouted picking up her bag, slowly accepting her fate.

"I will come over to the new house after work." Finn was the first to break and stood up. "By the way I think we have a name for the baby." when everyone looked at him he smiled. "Noelle, because we made the baby over Christmas."

Esther made a really cute sound clutching her chest evidently supporting the choice.

"Finn… you big sentimental." Kol teased him triggering an annoyed grumble from his brother as he left the house.

"I need a ride to college so I'm going with Finn." Rebekah went after her brother.

"Are you staying for lunch?" Esther asked the remaining three.

"I have a lunch meeting with the vineyards from France." Nik left the table and the house without a proper goodbye which was usual in him.

"I need to speak to Kol." Elijah said looking at their mother who encouraged him with a nod and then left them alone in the kitchen.

Kol narrowed his eyes suspicious. "What did I do?"

Elijah smiled being sent back to when Kol was a teenager and Elijah took the father role, even though Finn was the oldest, the role always seemed to fall into Elijah's lap naturally. "It's what you will do afterwards that worries me… there's a delicate subject that tomorrow will be on every newspaper and I wanted you to know about it firstly from me…"

"Ease up on the cryptic side and just hit me with it Elijah." Kol urged him.

There was a sigh and then he carried on. "Luka is going to be formally indicted tomorrow along with a few other detectives in his precinct by Internal Affairs, it's regarding some incidents that reportedly happened for the last months."

"What kind of incidents?"

"You know that I can't go into details with anyone about the case but… it appears there has been some power abuse and manipulating from him and a few others that formed a team dedicated to investigate and deal with gang wars." As he spoke Elijah knew this look on Kol, he was facing the table and concern was spreading to his features, he was worried about Bonnie. "Kol… it is just an indictment, just like in any other case, there is evidence to be analyzed and everyone is considered innocent until proven guilty without a shred of doubt in a court of law."

Kol shook his head silently, he wasn't buying that.

"And I will be defending Luka and his squad." Elijah cautiously added.

Kol shot his head to Elijah perplexed. "Why would you take that case? If anything, you need to be the one on the other side proving how he misuses that power he was given and how much of a corrupt he is."

"Try to tame your temper and remember that his father is a good friend of mine. Judge Martin is like a mentor, he is an honest and fair man who fights injustice without being bought like most judges in this city."

"He is not Luka and his son is not only a dirty cop, he is also set to marry Bonnie in less than a week."

Elijah raised his hand but Kol was already storming away from him. "We don't know if he did this Kol."

"He smashed my tail light in plain daylight and prior to all that, he told me to leave New York before he found a way to get me into some trouble that you wouldn't be able to help me with, he specifically told me that he would lock me up and that he would frame me so hard that I wouldn't be able to ever leave prison."

Elijah closed his hand in a hard fist. "You never spoke to anyone about this."

"Because I didn't know better and I was always in Clubs and partying so it wouldn't be that hard for Luka to come up with some wrongful drug accusation or something on those lines, besides... I was so upset that Bonnie was with him that I just left." Kol snapped. "And out there I had time to think and realize how much I always relied on you and the others to get me out of the amount of trouble I got myself into."

"If the Accusation finds out about this, they can use it to profile Luka and to set his personality in court…" Elijah started thinking about all the ways this could unfold.

"Stop thinking like a lawyer for a minute and help me out here Elijah, you can't take this case."

"I'm sorry Kol but I gave my word to Judge Martin." he said truly regretful.

"What happened to family? Don't we always stick together through it all?" Kol opened his arms. "Bonnie is about to go live with this man, if he uses that badge to his own profit what will he do to her the first time she doesn't agree with him on something? It's not like she can turn to the police for help." he was exasperating.

"Perhaps it would be wiser to stay away from him…"

Kol knew his brother well. "Perhaps I counted on my brother to help me protect the woman I love."

Elijah dropped his fist on the table silently as Kol left the house upset and hurt with him.

* * *

Rebekah made sure her hair was looking flawless before she knocked on the door of his office, she offered Vaughn a big smile when she came inside. "I have a draft, it's not much but I was hoping that you could tell me if I'm going in the right path."

Vaughn smiled taking the notes written in perfect handwriting. "I'll let you know."

"I wanted to thank you for the crazy assignment, it really messed with me at first but now I'm excited about it."

"I like excited students." he said in his thick accent.

She could tell he was flirting with her. "How many other girls are doing this precise assignment?" she asked keeping her eyes on his.

He only smiled and it was nothing short but a bastard smile. "I will email you tonight with my opinion." he dropped her draft on top of the table.

"I'll be waiting excited for it." she launched a flirt his way as well before exiting his office.

* * *

Rebekah was on a lust trip when someone showed up in front of her and kissed her without warning, she barely answered it even though she recognized the smooth lips. "Matt..." she breathed out when he released her lips.

He gave her a huge smile. "I was called to try out for the main team."

"Really?" she asked with a smile, she knew how important this was to him.

"If I impress them, I will be set for the rest of college, the professional scouts all come to the big games and I might just get picked up." he was so keyed up about it that Rebekah wanted to cry.

Why was she coveting after a teacher that would never be hers when she had the perfect boyfriend that she should be supporting and loving back as much as he loved her?

Rebekah collected herself pushing Vaughn out of her mind. "Well… now I really have to go to all the games and keep the cheerleaders away from you." Matt's answering smile was so warm and innocent that it broke her heart.

"As if I have eyes for anyone else, Beks."

She took his cheek and leaned over kissing him. "You better keep it that way or I'll remove them." she stated without a smile.

His hand found her neck and he powerfully pulled her closer to him so he could kiss her properly.

* * *

Bonnie rushed, she was still looking for her good shoes, she knelt next to her bed taking a box from under it, it held that one good pair of shoes that she kept for special occasions.  
When there was a knock, she raised her head surprised.

She had one shoe on and the other was going on her foot when she opened the door. "Luka." she was definitely surprised. "I thought you were doing the night shift."

"I am but I had to talk to you." he came inside like he owned the house.

"What happened?" she pulled her long fringe to the side trapping it behind her ear slowly, he seemed upset.

"There will be some lies out tomorrow in the press that I need you to ignore."

She folded her arms resting her hands on her shoulders. "What do you mean?"

He looked coldly at her. "That someone is making up lies about my team and that you can't believe any of it."

"What did you do?" she asked him quietly but it instigated him to shout at her.

"I just said that they are lies!" Bonnie took a step back immediately and he could read her body language all too clear, she was scared of him. "I'm sorry…" he sort of calmed down.

Bonnie moved one arm across her chest like someone shielding. "If you say that you are innocent, I'll believe you." she simply said.

Luka sighed and neared her, even if she was stiff as he cupped her face, she didn't move away from him and he stroked her cheeks. "I'm sorry for shouting, I'm just under a lot of pressure because of this silly witch hunt that they are launching against us."

She smiled without showing how really frightened she was. "It's ok..."

"And I promise to make the time to go meet the priest and all that next week."

"It would be nice if you knew where we are getting married before the day of the wedding." she tried to sound funny.

He smiled at ease. "This marriage thing will help with the case, they tend to go easy on the ones with a family and I'm lucky to have the really altruistic girlfriend."

The comment left Bonnie a little uneasy. "When did you suspect that these lies would see the light of day?" Luka's eyes were cold and she could read all that unspoken truth in them, it did not match the smile he was keeping on his lips.

"Just now."

Bonnie smiled with a small nod, she didn't buy any of it and finally his urge to get married so fast made sense to her.

"I have to go back on patrol, I only wanted to warn you about this." Luka tried to relax her. "Expect the next few days to be crazy but the good news is that my father has some fancy lawyer defending us."

"We shouldn't worry then, if you are innocent and if you have a good defense…"

"Exactly." he pulled her closer so he could kiss her.

Bonnie kissed him back but there was no fire in her, she found it hard to remember if the same fire she felt when Kol kissed her was ever there for Luka.  
He was very different from Kol, he was passionate but in a way selfish, he kissed her taking what he wanted not really caring if she was kissing him back with the same will.

When he was done shoving her tongue with his a few times he pulled away from her and released her face that he had been holding, Bonnie smiled again like she was expected and she only fully relaxed when he left the house.  
When the door closed she realized she had been shielding from him the entire time, her arm was across her chest and her hand clutching her own neck, she closed her eyes wanting to erase the other perfect kiss from her mind knowing it was so different from what expected her in the near future.

* * *

"You came!" Caroline shouted excited at Sage.

Sage had the biggest smile as she arrived to the table Caroline reserved for them at the exclusive Club. "It's a chance to get out of the house so hell couldn't keep me away from here tonight."

Caroline barely contained her happiness. "Bekah and Bonnie are on their way already, this is going to be so much fun."

"Let's just hope that tiny Noelle doesn't decide to show up now that she finally has a name." Sage rubbed her big belly under the beautiful bright blue tunic.

Caroline touched her belly and Sage smiled moving it enough for Caroline to feel the baby kick. "I think she likes the music."

Caroline's eyes were wide and bright. "She's moving."

"She's dancing the disco right now." Sage sighed looking at the table. "You are having Midori? Oh Lord, how I miss alcohol."

"I got you some weird herbs stuff that is all organic and is supposed to taste like Midori." Caroline handed her a glass.

Sage took a sip from it. "It's… close."

Caroline took her green glass and made a toast with Sage. "To Bonnie."

"And evil plans to destroy weddings."

"How…" Caroline slumped her shoulders.

"Nothing happens in this family without becoming public knowledge."

Caroline sighed. "I hope Bonnie doesn't say yes to Luka and realizes that Kol is the right man for her."

"Like, is she on drugs on something? How can she resist a Mikaelson?" Sage took another sip from her special drink.

"I know..." Caroline widened her eyes in agreement.

Sage shook her head and the really long straight red hair moved with it. "I tried resisting Finn for two heroic months and now here I am five years later, with a baby on the way and the biggest smile on my face. Esther did an amazing job with these boys, they all know how to respect and make a woman happy."

Caroline knew a thing or two about that and held her drink with a sigh.

"Is it safe for you to be here?" Rebekah asked Sage when she arrived to the table.

Her sister-in-law looked at her with a raised eyebrow, they could always count on Rebekah's blunt ways. "I'm still two weeks away from my expecting time, so it's safe Bekah." Sage answered and moved her head to look at the shy girl coming to the table. "Hey Bonnie."

"Hi..." She smiled raising her hand and pulling her dress down a bit.

"Bon, you look so hot." Caroline said in wonder, the short dark green dress fitted Bonnie like a glove, it left one of her shoulders free and the small sleeve on the other one made sure the dress hugged her petite curves perfectly.

Bonnie blushed fighting with her fringe and clutching the handbag that once belonged to Caroline. "Thanks…"

"She looks stunning." Rebekah sat next to Caroline. "But so do you, miss _I can wear a plastic bag and still look fabulous_."

Caroline grinned, she knew she looked good in her tiny skirt and ruffled shirt but Rebekah was rocking a red dress that was tiny and had a single strap in her back. "We all look amazing."

"This is like that show about New York and sex." Sage said realizing the amount of style and beauty around the table.

"Different drink but same feel to it. I miss  _Sex and City._ " Caroline twirled her straw around her glass.

"I miss sex." Sage said ending her drink.

The girls laughed fully aware of the talks Finn had about the subject as well.

Bonnie mostly smiled and had her drink silently, she only listened as the talk unfolded and Caroline looked at her friend wanting nothing more than to see her happy one day and to see that exact smile that took over Bonnie when the hidden ace of tonight's plan arrived.

"What are you doing here?" she asked with a sparkle in her eyes that one had to be blind to miss it.

"Am I not one of the girls?" Kol asked mystified.

"Best friend to the bride qualifies as a girl." Sage said in her married wisdom voice.

Caroline and Rebekah beamed with their new ally.

Kol sat next to Rebekah and across Bonnie. "You look searing B!"

"Shut up..." she blushed and then smiled into her glass.

"It will be hard to keep the male stripper away from you."

She jolted her head at him. "The what? I said no pranks…" she stopped because of the giggles coming from Caroline and Kol's smirk. "Ah ha, very funny."

"I did suggest one but Caroline was indecisive over the firefighter or the Cowboy fantasy, since police officer was out of the question."

Bonnie tossed a fiery scowl at him. "You are so inconvenient."

"But if you really insist on it, I could wear my military uniform and undress slowly for you." he leaned over the table bluntly poking her.

She looked away from his hazel eyes but her heart was racing, the unsettling image of Kol wearing a formal uniform made her dizzy.

"Or you could just move so I can go dance before I vomit all over you." Rebekah shoved him so she could get away, she pulled Caroline's hand taking her along with her.

The two girls immediately stole attention before they even reached the crowded dance floor.

"Wonderful idea, let's go dance B." Kol grabbed her hand but she looked at Sage.

The other smiled resting her feet on the seat in front of her and rubbed her belly happy. "She's dancing and I'm moving my head so we're good. Go have fun kids."

"We won't be long." Bonnie assured her concerned to leave her alone.

The older woman sent them away with both of her hands and then picked Caroline's glass smelling the alcohol with a loud moan. "Oh my sweet baby Jesus, how I miss you." she whispered with her eyes closed.

* * *

Elijah sat in a chair that he moved closer to the window, he sat there watching the busy city under his feet, he then loosened up his tie without taking it off and opened the first buttons of his shirt.  
The noise of ice hitting a glass made him snap away from the silent talk he was having with the night, he looked up at the hand waving the glass at him and then at the owner of such beautiful fingers.

"It's not green tea." she waved the Scotch again.

Elijah took the glass silently.

"He will call you tomorrow and invite you for lunch and everything will be ok again among the Mikaelson Clan."

"Kol is stubborn and determined when he is upset." Elijah was happy with the drink once he started drinking.

"So you will be defending Luka... I understand why he isn't happy but this is your job Elijah."

It was adorable the way she was trying to defend and cheer him up at the same time. "In a way he is right, I am turning my back on the family and choosing my mentor over them." he was so conflicted about all this.

But she was not pleased and started tapping her black stiletto against the floor. "Elijah, it is not your fault that your baby brother didn't make a move on that girl before and now he is being unfair because you are literally left with no choice here. So stop this pity trip and let's get our hands dirty."

Elijah glanced up to her confused.

"It's obvious that you can't say no to the Judge but he can't be mad at you if you have someone on the Accusation like Katherine Pierce making your attorney life impossible…"

Elijah stood up slowly. "What did you do April?"

"I casually befriended Katherine's secretary and the other day when we were at the coffee shop I went to the bathroom and left a file on the table…" April smiled happy with her roguish ways. "Guess who sizzled her way into the Internal Affairs office the next day, claiming that she would crucify Luka and every bad cop in town?" she waited for some reaction but Elijah was simply staring at her. "Are you mad at me?" she asked worried.

Elijah left his drink on the chair and softly came closer to her, he stroked April's cheek with a smile and she returned it happy that he wasn't mad after all but Elijah took her by surprise next, he leaned over and kissed her lips.  
April closed her eyes in heaven but too weak to do more than simply move her lips against his.

Elijah smiled when he pulled away, she had her lips slightly pursed and a very dazed look on her eyes when she opened them.

"My apologies for stealing our first kiss, do I have your permission to kiss you again?" he sweetly asked her.

She nodded eagerly at him so Elijah cupped her face and rested his other hand on the crook of her back, his thumb stroked her cheek as he leaned for another kiss.  
April rested her hands on his chest and answered his kiss, parting her lips sweetly for him and this time doing more than just following his lead.

* * *

The girls were having a blast, finally Bonnie relaxed and started having fun, she was actually a good dancer, she just rarely went out since Luka hated Clubs.  
They formed a small group in the middle of the crowd and danced with each other, Caroline danced back to back with Rebekah making a lot of the men stare and drool but they were immune to it by now and raised their hands in the air while Kol was having his own dance with Bonnie.

He twirled her around and she laughed without a care in the world, she wasn't even covering her mouth like she painfully did for the last year, she wasn't hiding her happiness or shielding from Luka's volatile temper.  
Tonight she was happy with Kol.

The song changed into the chorus and everyone started clapping but Bonnie didn't, she shook her hair letting go for once of all the bad things that filled her life, she was so caught up in all of it that she missed someone bumping into her, when she staggered forward Kol caught her easily, he watched her with a strange awe that he missed before and she laughed with big sparkling eyes, toying with him.

His smile reached his enamored eyes and he moved his hand to her hair messing with her fringe which made her laugh but instead of pushing him away she danced closely to him, she moved her body perfectly in sync with the music and with his own body, he was an extraordinary dancer and for one night she forgot everything and everyone else.  
She wasn't the everlasting friend with a crush on him and he was just a really hot guy dancing with her.

The guy at the bar watching her flirt with the Mikaelson boy took a picture with his phone sending it to his partner.

* * *

Luka growled enraged with the new message, he was right in his suspicion about this silly night out, that's why he asked his partner to follow her and now here she was, dancing dirtily with Kol and touching his neck like some cheap woman.  
He put his phone away and took out his anger on the kid they caught today, too bad for him that he resisted the arrest.

At least that's what he was going to write on the report.

* * *

**Soundtrack:**

Got 2 Luv U –  _Sean Paul ft. Alexis Jordan_


	11. All or nothing

Bonnie laughed with his tired grunt and the way he leaned against the staircase dramatically pressing his chest.

"Only you would live in a really shady neighborhood, in the 3rd floor of a decaying building and with the really old elevator out of service."

She took her high heels off. "Aren't you known now as this big tough soldier Kol? And I'm the one wearing these..." she waved her shoes.

"There was too much Brandy for one night and that weird green stuff…" he complained following the hot girl with his eyes.

Bonnie reached her door carrying her shoes in one hand carelessly and tried the key on her door, she attempted a few times always missing so she gave up, she turned around slumping against her door. "I need help." she admitted with a sigh, there had been too much Midori for one night on her end as well.

Kol smiled walking to her and took the key from her hand, he swiftly pushed the key in the locker and looked at her, she was melted against her door and there wasn't much space between them as Kol stood in front of her.

Bonnie blew her stubborn fringe away from her face. "I had so much fun tonight… I can't remember the last time I had this much fun."

"I can…" he scanned her face with endearing eyes. "Any time before detective Loser showed up."

"He's not so bad…" she lost that sparkle in her eyes instantly.

Kol placed one hand on the door next to her face and stroked her chin with the other. "I'm a reckless prick with a long list of useless dates but I'm still better than him."

Bonnie huffed her hair away again. "You are drunk."

His fingers moved to her cheek that he warmed making her close her eyes. "So are you but that shouldn't stop us." he inched closer to her and his hot breath tickled her dry lips that she licked.

She rested her hand on his hard chest feeling his tags and suddenly the floor was unsteady, Bonnie searched his hazelnut eyes that were staring at her lips. "Goodnight Kol." she whispered opening the door and stepping inside.

He was forced to pull back but kept his eyes on her while she closed the door, Bonnie rested against it pressing her shoes and touched her lips that had been so close to his and that happy smile returned.

* * *

Caroline left her shoes on the lobby and managed to reach her bedroom without tripping or making any noise, she left her clothes on the floor and sneaked into bed wearing only her steamy underwear.  
Her hand moved like silk over his naked shoulders, Nik rarely slept with a shirt or covered with the sheet.

Caroline left tiny kisses on his broad shoulders and then on his scruffy face, she smiled when she reached his lips leaving a small kiss on them to let him know that she was home.

Nik opened one eye slowly. "How was girls' night?"

Caroline rested her chin on his shoulder stroking his hair. "I'm tired from dancing and I'm a bit tipsy."

"How did things work out with Bonnie?"

Caroline moved to her pillow facing him with a big smile. "Once she started dancing and letting go, she really had fun. Kol and her danced all night and there were a few PG 18 moves there."

Nik chuckled stroking her cheek as she giggled with that constant natural glee that Caroline had. "Did they leave together?"

"Of course…" she stroked his arm and yawned letting the fatigue settle in.

"The big plan is in motion, let's hope our children find their way to each other."

Caroline's subtle laughter came lower this time and she yawned again. "I know that you wanted sex but I'm very tired..." she mumbled pulling the sheet up and covering herself.

Nik chuckled stroking her chin. "I'll survive." he played with a few golden locks as she quietly drifted into sleep.

After a few seconds Caroline moved closer to him searching for his heat, Nik kissed her forehead before she nested against his chest sighing in her sleep when his big hand warmed the skin in her back.

* * *

"Are you ok?" One of the girls at the shelter asked Bonnie.

She smiled with her mind away. "Yes…"

The girl left her alone but looked back finding Bonnie so strange today, her boss glanced outside the window and played with her hair absent-minded.

Bonnie twirled a streak of her hair with a smile and had her coffee slowly, her phone started vibrating again and the message only made her laugh.

**_I'm on a coffee diet… what was inside that green drink you girls gave me?_ **

Bonnie trapped her lip with a grin and replied him swiftly.

**_It's better if you don't know._ **

**Are you buying me lunch?**

Bonnie chuckled.

**_I have a sandwich that has been inside my bag for a week with your name on it._ **

**_I'll take it._ **

Bonnie lost her smile a little while typing her reply.

**_It will have to wait one more day, I can't leave the shelter today._ ** **_There too many things that need to be dealt with_ ** **_and then I'm meeting Luka._ **

The few seconds it took Kol to answer made her lose the smile altogether, he was upset and she was the one to blame because of her dubious behavior.  
Bonnie grabbed the big pile of papers on the table and made way to her office, during the short ride Kol answered her.

**_If you give that sandwich to him, I will never speak to you again._ **

The smile was back on her lips but she ended the talk because she really had a busy schedule today.  
Bonnie dropped the papers on the desk next to all the others that cluttered her tiny work station and took the newspaper expecting a long search for the news that Luka prepared her for, not in a million years she expected to find it on the first page.

" _Corruption and scandal in the New York Police Department."_ Bonnie read the title stunned, she quickly dived into the article and shook her head horrified with the list of crimes that Luka and a few others were being charged with.

Apparently there had been a thick investigation from a New York Times journalist and the Internal Affairs had access to the information before being published, consequentially opening an investigation of their own that resulted now on formal accusations taken to court.  
Bonnie was shaking as her eyes skimmed through the article now searching for the lawyers in charge of defense and accusation.

She had to read it twice but as busy as her day was, she had to talk to Elijah and grabbed her bag leaving the shelter in a hurry.

* * *

"Good morning..." Caroline mumbled sleepily and kissed Nik before pouring coffee into her big mug.

Nik was finishing his already and looked at the blonde wearing big sunglasses inside the house. "Are you all right sweetheart?"

Caroline held her hand in the air like a true Diva. "I will never drink again."

"Well that could be a problem…"

Caroline knew all the tones of his voice and pushed the sunglasses up her blonde locks. "What is it?" Nik showed his dimples so she dropped her coffee suspicious.

"I had a video conference with the French vineyards yesterday and The Bellet vineyards have a very appealing proposition for us but someone needs to go over to Nice and meet with them. Finn can't go because Sage is close to giving birth so the task fell on me."

Caroline's eyes shimmered. "Côte-d'Azur?"

Nik left his empty mug behind and came to his stunning girlfriend, he laced his arms around her and smiled. "After the wedding that you and my brother are trying to ruin, do you think that you can clear your wicked agenda and go to France with me for a week?"

Caroline clasped her hands pressing them to her lips and nodded overwhelmed. "Yes." she said after a few seconds.

His chest filled with hope, that's exactly what he was hoping she would answer once they arrived to France, the opportunity was  
marvelous to ask her to be his wife, he loved her and he couldn't see his life with any other woman by his side so he acted as soon as the idea came into play.  
He bought the big expensive ring that she would adore and he wrote down the words he wanted to tell her, now all he could hope for was that she accepted his last name.

* * *

Elijah welcomed Bonnie with a smile, he could tell how nervous she was and he politely offered her a chair.

"Thank you for seeing me… I'm sorry for coming without an appointment." she quickly apologized.

"I take it that this has to do with Luka?"

"Is it as bad as they say in the newspaper?"

Elijah was honest in his formal sigh. "I was only informed today that all this was a result from a very detailed investigation and I will only be allowed to all the available information now that I took his defense officially. Since the New York Police Department hired me, I will have access to the witness reports and to his statement as well as his colleagues so I will start building my meticulous case from that and ignore what was said in the media."

"A lot of fancy words to say that it is bad…" she assumed.

"I will do my best to do a just defense." Elijah assured the beautiful woman with another warm smile.

"Why are you defending him Elijah, isn't this like conflict of interest or something?"

"Not exactly since I am not part of the accusation crew and you are not directly part of the family, though all of us see you as a natural extension of it."

She knew he would defend Luka like he probably didn't deserve. "I'm not sure he is innocent Elijah…" Bonnie whispered.

Elijah took her hand. "Think wisely Bonnie, before you do something that might turn out to be too hard to handle later."

She knew deflection when she saw it and gave Elijah a look. "Are you against this wedding as well?"

"I have one big battle on my hands already."

Bonnie laughed fondling with her fringe. "Kol is like a mini Elijah."

"That was a compliment… was it not?"

Bonnie stood up smiling. "Thank you for taking the time to see a freaking out bride to be."

"Kol is crossed with me because I took the case." Elijah admitted painfully.

"I'll talk to Kol, I know that Judge Martin is your friend and he is a good man, he has helped me in the past without even blinking and I know how we feel obliged somehow to return all the good that he has done without expecting anything in return."

Elijah narrowed his eyes tilting his head slightly, perhaps now he began to understand why Bonnie was so determined with this wedding. "Indeed fair Bonnie…"

"Stop being so charming Elijah." she went to the door with a smile but as soon as she opened it, it was hard to keep it.

Judge Martin and Luka were waiting for Elijah outside.

"Bonnie." the older man smiled like he was seeing the sun after a very rainy day. "What a perfect encounter."

"Judge…" she welcomed the peck on her cheek from Luka's father.

"All these sad events are shadowing our day but I trust that tonight as a family, we manage to put this aside and focus on the two love birds getting married in a couple of days."

Bonnie's chest was tight with a bit of regret from postponing the family dinner for so long. "I have been really busy and Luka has been doing a lot of the third watch shifts." she glanced over to him. "But I'm happy that we finally found a night that suits us all."

Luka smiled and came closer lacing his arm around her shoulders. "We will have a lot of nights to share with the family."

The Judge nodded. "And you have now such wonderful exciting news to share with us as well."

Bonnie didn't quite get the sudden excited turn and she really could never guess the next words that left his mouth.

"Luka just told me… I hope that you are not mad, since you were keeping the news for tonight."

Bonnie was really lost now and looked at the man holding her close to him.

"They would find out sooner or later…" Luka smiled. "… about the baby."

"The…" Bonnie couldn't even speak.

"Congratulations!" Luka's father wanted to touch her tummy but she could see how he restrained. "I can't even begin to explain how this made my day. I was even able to forget about this silly accusation that they want to pin on Luka."

Elijah looked at Bonnie bewildered, he couldn't believe the words but neither could Bonnie that felt faint from the shock.

"But we will have time to address all this tonight, for now I must speak to Elijah." he looked at the Mikaelson who couldn't take his eyes from Bonnie.

She couldn't react, she was paralyzed in stun but as soon as the door of the office closed she snapped into anger. "What did you just say?" she hissed at Luka.

"I gave my father something else to think about. This bunch of lies left him close to a heart attack and he was asking me too many questions that I didn't want to answer."

"I'm the one close to heart failure Luka." she pointed at him mad. "How could you make up such a lie?"

Luka could see the pretty secretary in her small office but he wasn't sure if she wasn't listening to them so he came closer to Bonnie. "It won't be a lie once we get married… it's what couples do Bonnie and if you hadn't been so cold with me especially since Kol came back you could be pregnant already."

Bonnie was too furious to even reply to him, she turned her back on him rushing to the elevator and pressed that button repeatedly like that alone would hurry the arrival.

"Bonnie." Luka called but she refused to look at him, he called her again but as soon as the elevator arrived she got inside, before the door closed he was joining her.

"A baby... really Luka? How could you lie to your father like that?" she was livid. "And all this just to steer him away from all the wrong things that became public today." she gritted her teeth. "Do you really think that lying to him is going to make him look the other way? What will happen when he finds out that I'm not pregnant?" she looked away from him. "All you do is lie."

Luka pressed a red button stopping them between floors. "And you don't lie to me? You said that last night you were out with only the girls but a friend of mine saw you dancing with Kol, and you really looked all friendly and flirty with him."

"You… told someone to follow me?" Bonnie couldn't even grasp how hard was her fall.

"I just said that he was a friend who saw you with Kol." Luka hissed shortening the space between them. "But can you look into my eyes and deny that something happened between you and that playboy since he came back?" Bonnie faltered and he picked up on it. "I do this for a living, I know when someone is lying and cheating." his voice raised alarmingly.

"Nothing important happened." she tried to stay strong.

Luka grabbed her face. "I love you and I need you now more than ever. You can't walk away from me now." And just like that, with his needy voice and his sweet honest eyes, he looked just like the man who made her forget about Kol and the unrequited love she felt for him.

"Luka… I'm very confused…" she said expecting him to snap but instead he stroked her cheeks.

"I love you Bonnie and I need you." he repeated breaking down with each word.

She gave him a small smile. "You need to tell your father that I'm not pregnant Luka."

"Let him hold on to that white lie, rough times are ahead of us and he will need something to keep him going." he saw her determinedly shake her head but he knew how to work someone like Bonnie, he lowered his eyes and showed that vulnerability that he would have to use in court. "I'm sorry for shouting and scaring you… I'm just under a lot of stress and I'm scared to lose you."

She wavered. "We are all here for you..." she kindly told him and placed her hands over his.

Luka smiled before kissing her.

* * *

Kol dropped the phone on the kitchen island and ran his hand through his hair still astounded, the possibility hadn't even crossed his mind and now Elijah just called him to drop the nuclear bomb.  
He looked around the kitchen, where was she when he needed her?

* * *

Esther cleaned her forehead with the back of her glove, there was nothing like a little peaceful gardening affair after a busy day at her new project, she was determined to have the house ready for Bonnie before presenting the idea to her.  
She touched her roses, sadly they were the ones suffering the biggest sacrifices because she could only mend over them by sunset now.

Esther looked over the garden to the gloomy son headed her way with a bottle of wine and two glasses, she took her big hat off and then her gloves. "I know trouble when I see it slow pacing towards me."

Kol sat on the bench with dropped shoulders and a heavy sulk. "Bonnie is pregnant." when Esther eyed him with hope he grimaced harder. "It's Luka's!"

His mother joined his sulking. "Couldn't you have beat him to that?"

Kol yanked the cork of the bottle with a violent move. "I'm depressed."

"That's why God turned water into wine, bless him." Esther sat next to her son.

He handed her a big glass with wine. "I've been doing everything I can to ruin that wedding and now she is expecting a child from him."

Esther left her gloves next to her on the bench thinking of what she would tell him, she had a long sip from her wine while looking at her beloved garden. "I was pregnant with you when Mikael admitted to me that he was having an affair with another woman, it happened right here on this garden."

He knew that her tactics were unique but Kol was expecting another strategy from his mother to cheer him up.

Esther smiled reaching out to caress his beautiful face. "I stayed with him even after he broke my heart."

"Why?"

None of them questioned their mother and her choices because in the end she was the strongest woman they knew but still the question was merely routine because she was carrying on with her little wisdom display anyway.

"Because like Bonnie and many other women trapped in relationships such as these, we always have hope that our men will change, that the love we once felt for them will return and that things will not only be what they once were, they will be even better."

"But you left him years later."

"No, I went to the library and opened the safe, pulled the riffle that belonged to your grandfather and chased your father away under fire." she smiled correcting him and having a little more wine.

Kol smirked immersed in all the pride he had of her.

She moved her hand to his hair, she used to stroke it until he fell asleep when he was little. "Rebekah was only a few days old when I came home from the doctor and found Nik bleeding in the bathroom after another fight with Mikael. I finally had enough…" she sighed only regretting that it took her so long to gain the courage to kick him out of their lives.

"If that was your breaking point what will Bonnie's be?" Kol stared into his wine.

"You..." Esther whispered at him when he faced her. "She is in love with you, of that I have no doubt but she's a good girl and she's trapped in a relationship that has all the signs of becoming abusive just that she's so used to deal with all of this that she refuses to believe this happened to her. It's an unacceptable concept for her and she will only do something about it when she has her breaking point."

"I don't care if she's expecting a child from Detective Loser… I'm still going to wreck that wedding." he said determined.

"Are you certain that she's really with child?"

Before Kol answered her, his phone received a message and he smiled showing his mother the words that took a weight off him.  
 _  
 **I'm not pregnant, I'll explain later. B**_

Esther grinned. "Good, because the only children that I want from Bonnie need to have hazelnut hair and rebel eyes."

Kol pulled his head away from her reach, he was all healed now and couldn't be caught by the others in such snuggling ways with his mother.

Esther laughed and stroked his chin. "My sweet rebel, don't tell the others but you are my favorite son."

"You tell that to all your sons, mother." Kol had his wine with a smirk.

"True." she had hers with a big chuckle.

* * *

Bonnie had her drink smiling a bit at some woman she couldn't remember the name, some aunt of Luka's that insisted on telling Bonnie she had to name her child after her dead husband. "I'll think about it." Bonnie said for the third time and smiled again.

"Ron is a beautiful name… I miss my Ron." she said close to tears and finally excused herself.

Bonnie looked at her empty glass then around the room, Luka was having a loud conversation about sports with someone she couldn't remember the name either, the only ones she really knew was Luka and his father and that one she couldn't see anywhere.

When the crying aunt walked towards Bonnie again, she pretended to be blind to it and went looking for the waiter to refill her glass, when she found him Bonnie went outside to the terrace to get away from everyone and to have her drink peacefully.

"Tired already?"

The warm voice spoke from a corner Bonnie hadn't paid attention to but this voice she recognized. "Sheila! I didn't know that you were here."

The beautiful older woman walked closer to Bonnie bringing her shale closer to her cold shoulders. "I was hiding from the posh family."

Bonnie touched her lips with a quiet laughter, she always liked the woman who raised Luka after he lost his mother, Sheila was a free spirit that liked the supernatural things and that alone granted her a special place in the family.  
Everyone avoided her but Bonnie truly liked the woman, her unique crazy ways reminded her so much of the Mikaelsons, that unlike the Martins were very down to earth and easygoing and with their own crazy routines.

The Martin family, like Sheila said, were poshy and so caught up in titles and money that Bonnie couldn't fit even if she tried hard.  
If she was granted that choice, Bonnie would pick the dinners at the Mikaelson house filled with wine and sibling banter over the formal and classic reunions at Judge Martin's house, sadly her choices were scarce at this point.

"You are not pregnant." Sheila touched her nose with a smile for the silly subject that had been more important all night, rather than Luka possibly having his career destroyed and facing prison.

Bonnie showed the drink that was giving her away. "Luka wanted to make the Judge happy despite all the commotion surrounding him."

"Luka is only paving way to make my brother suffer the double in the end. I want to believe that Luka is innocent but the fast wedding and the fake pregnancy seems to me that it's all just smoke and mirrors."

"Luka never spoke about his work with me." Bonnie tried to sound neutral about her beliefs.

"I want nothing more than to believe that the boy I raised hasn't changed that much but I know what money and power does to this family…" Sheila looked inside the room filled with relatives that barely spoke to each other unless there was champagne and some event that was used as a showcase to the new jewelry and fashion clothes. All so fake and shallow. Sheila looked back at the quiet girl having her drink alone in her engagement party. "This is what your future will be like Bonnie, always standing outside of the crazy rich circle that wants to drag you into their world."

"I could always hang out with you…" she smiled at the woman.

Sheila stroked her arms bitterly. "I need a drink to keep you company." she left the terrace just as Luka arrived but their greeting was minimal.

"Apparently no one in my family got the invitation for the wedding." Luka was straight to the point and not very gentle about it.

Bonnie clenched her lips very aware that Caroline's sneaky finger was all over this. "It's just some delay, I'm sure."

Luka took a deep enervated breath. "My father asked about Haven, he was wondering if you need more money."

Bonnie held her ground strongly. "He already did enough, you know that I will never be able to pay him properly for what he already did."

"Marrying his son is payment enough." Luka joked.

It would have been casual but Bonnie's disappointment was reaching new highs, her lips formed a smile but she wanted to cry because he was using the gratitude she had for the older man now.  
When the money started to fail her and the bills piled up, she went to her father but he not only denied her help, he was also proud that she was reaching out to him so she had no choice but to take the money Judge Martin gave her after Luka asked him for help, now he was using that against her and Bonnie hated him for it.

But it wasn't close to the mixed feelings that assaulted her when her father arrived, he was greeted affectionately by everyone and after a few political jokes that left Bonnie clueless, he finally came outside to meet the couple of the night.

"Did you forgot to invite your own father for this dinner party? If it wasn't for your future husband…" Rudy admonished her.

Bonnie closed her eyes when Rudy kissed her forehead.

"How are you hunnie?"

"I'm good." she lied with a smile that was fake as well.

"You look good." Rudy stroked her chin. "We will talk later, now I need to speak to the Judge."

"Okay..." Bonnie whispered knowing it would take him hours again to remember that she was around.

Rudy squeezed Luka's shoulder tight. "Hang in there, we will work this out. This outrageous accusation will go away and we will sue that newspaper for defamation."

"Thank you Rudy." he nodded appreciating the support.

"You just wait and see, we will still make money out of this nonsense." Rudy laughed richly.

Bonnie looked away into the night, from the expensive house with the dashing view she searched for any light to guide her.  
Her life was spiraling out of control and there was only one person she wanted by her side, and it wasn't the man lacing his arm around her protectively and kissing her head.

* * *

Rebekah looked up from her book when Kol's phone danced on the table with another call that he ignored. "I can't study, so either you take that call or go away with your gigolo phone."

Kol finished something on his laptop and only then reached for the phone. "It's Bonnie, not one of the names in my black book."

Rebekah frowned when he tossed the phone back to the table. "Why are you refusing her calls?"

Kol closed his laptop. "I'm tired of being her pup that she calls when she needs, if she wants me, she has to work for it."

"If this is some new crazy plan you have going on with Caroline, it's rubbish."

Kol laughed and changed places sitting next to his sister. "Extreme situations ask for extreme measures, let her miss me for a change and then I'll give her my last push to a breaking point."

"I don't get a single thing that you are saying." she looked away from him and back to her book. "Neither do I get this nonsense about a cat, quantum entanglement and what it has to do with our perception of reality." she huffed closing her book.

"You need a break." Kol took the book away from her and turned the TV on. "I think that there is a Tarantino marathon tonight."

Rebekah snuggled close to her brother and rested her back against his chest, she got comfortable and slid on the sofa pulling the quilt over her legs while he played with her blonde hair.  
On screen another blonde was set on killing someone called Bill.

* * *

Bonnie slammed her door upset, not only he wasn't picking up her calls so she could explain the pregnancy confusion, he also was ignoring her will to discuss how horrible the entire dinner party had been and how bad it was for her that her father was there.  
She tried his number again but this time it was disconnected, she couldn't believe Kol was shutting her down now.

She went for water and had a silent monologue, raging about his attitude she dialed Caroline's number instead.

The cheerful blonde was fast to pick up.  _"Bon!"_  she shouted excited.  _"Nik is taking me to France!"_  
  
"Are you planning to go before or after you sabotage my wedding?" The silence was a clear sign so Bonnie kept going. "You and Kol teamed up to doom this from the start."

 _"Well… we don't want you to do this."_  
  
Bonnie dropped her water violently on the table spilling it. "Now I really want to do this just to show you and Kol that you can't go around deciding what I should do with my life."

 _"We just care for you."_  Caroline was careful with her words but enough was enough.  _"Besides, you must know how much of a mistake you are plunging yourself into."  
_  
"I am so mad at you and the other moron doesn't take my calls..."  
 __  
"Maybe he is busy."  
  
"What do you mean?" Bonnie's chest was tight again.

 _"I've seen him again with that girl Rose… maybe they are… busy."_  Caroline evilly dropped.

"But… he kissed me!" Bonnie said touching the water on the table.

 _"And you still chose another man after he told you about his feelings so he is free to start something new with someone else…"_  
  
"Yeah… you're right…" Bonnie grimaced spelling his name with the water on the table, she just didn't want him to move on.

* * *

"It just needs a few more touches." The woman said sticking Bonnie with a needle as she tried to strap the fabric around her, when Bonnie flinched the woman apologized instantly.

"It's ok…" Bonnie pulled the sleeve up again but it kept going down so she huffed wanting to give up entirely.

"I need to do something about the waist… I will be right back dear." the woman left her alone with the mirror.

Bonnie looked at herself certain that this was the worst wedding dress in history, she gulped down when she saw Kol coming inside the store carrying a big white box. "Is that another trick to ruin my day with Luka?" she asked straightening her dress and pretending before him that it was the most beautiful dress ever.

"No, it's clothes for the baby." Kol teased her.

She clenched her teeth pushing her sleeve up again. "If you had picked up all the 17 times I called you, you would know that it's just a rumor."

"I was entangled."

"With Rose?" she couldn't help the jealousy outburst and faced him.

"She was blonde actually and she fell asleep on my chest."

Bonnie picked her dress up and strutted to him. "You have some nerve Kol, after all that talk about being at war and realizing how in love you were with me, the instant I reject you, you go back to your ways."

"I love you Bonnie Bennett and I find you perfect in every single way. I love all your smiles and that you have this thing where you keep touching your hair wanting to tone down how actually strong you are." he moved to a stunned Bonnie and cupped her face. "I've been in love with you since you smiled at me with braces and said that I was smarter than I looked but I never expected for a girl like you to choose someone like me, so I was beyond happy to be your friend and that you trusted me with everything. Your perseverance and your strength left me coy because I wasn't good enough for the standards that you had, so time rushed and we were such good friends that I got used to seeing you like that and I just missed that one moment when you transformed into a breathtaking woman with enchanting emerald eyes and hot curves that left me weak."

She was speechless and her stupid sleeve fell again but she didn't bother fixing it, she couldn't move.

He could and he inched closer to her. "I love you and even if I don't deserve you, I'm still a better choice for you. This is your last chance Bonnie, therefore I'm giving you an ultimatum, choose him or choose me but you can't have us both." she looked lost in thought and he gently kissed her lips, only slightly pressing them while sweetly caressing her cheek.

Bonnie's lips moved against his wishing he would make the kiss longer but he smiled leaving her like that.

The woman from before walked in as he left. "It's bad luck to see the bride…" she reminded Bonnie about the curse.

"He's not the one I'm getting married to." Bonnie was getting tired of saying this and touched her burning lips.

The other woman tried not to be too judgmental but if he wasn't, then it was a shame because they looked so good together.

Bonnie opened the box that Kol left behind with a gasp, she was shaking when she unfolded the exclusive dress that surely fitted her perfectly. "Oh my God…" she whispered because it was Vera Wang.

* * *

**Soundtrack:**

Feel again –  _OneRepublic_


	12. The big day

Bonnie glided her hands across the smooth white fabric, it was  _the_  perfect dress.  
Instead of two straps, there were only little laced strings hugging her shoulders and the dress was caught on the side by a big rose filled with pearls, there wasn't a big train or a veil, the dress was immensely simple and by addition an accurate display of her personality.

Bonnie looked up from her dress to the door as the soft knock announced the blonde looking inside with an intricate fish braid that was entwined with a peach-colored ribbon that matched the bridesmaid dress flawlessly.

Caroline covered her mouth fighting tears. "You look so beautiful Bon…"

"It's the right dress." she said looking down on it again, she couldn't stop admiring it herself.

Her friend closed the door pushing away the tears and assumed a somber look instead. "I'm sorry for trying to ruin your big day."

Bonnie touched her fringe that today was perfectly falling to the side along with the straight hair that she had arranged in a simple way. "Kol isn't coming, is he?"

Caroline shook her head.

Bonnie pressed her stomach. "It's not a surprise since he hasn't answered any of my calls, but I was still hoping that he would at least come to the wedding."

"Asking for Kol to come see you get married to someone else is asking a lot Bonnie…"

"I had to make my choice." Bonnie said determined and grabbed her flowers.

"Bonnie…" Caroline tried but her friend gave her a scowl, still she decided to go for it. "Think about this, please. You're minutes away from doing this."

"Try to catch the flowers, maybe you will be next with Nik." Bonnie smiled warmly at her friend and came near to take her hand. "Thank you for being here."

"You know that I would never leave you, no matter how wrong I think you are."

They smiled with a few emotional tears wanting to fall.

"Is everyone ready?" Another girl asked from the door with a similar braid type and dress as Caroline's.

"Bekah… I was sure you would bail on me." Bonnie was genuinely surprised.

Rebekah crossed her arms. "I was going to stay home but Kol threatened to cut my hair if I did, and everyone else is here, except for him." Rebekah quickly ended any hopes the bride might have.

"Ok… let's do this." Bonnie held on to her flowers like a shield, she wasn't that nervous actually, little by little she was growing more certain of her option.

"I just want you to be happy…" Caroline stubbornly refused to give up at the last second.

"I know what I'm doing…" Bonnie said with a serenity that made Caroline and Rebekah very uncomfortable.

Bonnie sweetly smiled at the other two, she waited for them to react and resigned they did, they left the small room in the chapel where Bonnie was waiting for her time to go to Luka.  
She was counting the time as they had rehearsed and she was giving it a few more minutes since it was tradition for every bride to be late.

Now that she was alone and certain that no one would come in, she took an old folded picture that she managed to hide among the flower bouquet, it had been her company for the last week, every day she had kept it in her pocket and looked at it when she needed to smile.  
Now she was hoping that it would give her strength to go through with everything.

Lost in her thoughts she almost missed the knock on the door, it was followed by her father that came in with an elegant suit and a big smile for her. "You look lovely."

"Thank you dad." she was formal in her greeting and concealed the picture in her hand.

He stopped near her and tapped her shoulder softly. "I made sure that my private security keeps your mother away, in case she saw the wedding announcement on all the newspapers and tries to make an appearance, we do not need a scandal on this day, it would only harm Luka's trial."

"That's what's important to you?" she asked him quietly without much emotion.

"I don't want her to make you upset on this day, of course." Rudy took her chin almost like a loving father would do.

Bonnie wanted to laugh in the face of his fake concerned smile, this wasn't only about Luka's image, this was a big risk for the big politician aspirations her father had. "Aren't you worried that your daughter might be getting married to a criminal?" she wanted to see a spark of any kind of love for her in him but he simply offered his arm for her.

"Luka is innocent and you will prove that to everyone by taking him as a husband today."

"Of course." she flashed a big smile. "Let's go give them all a show."

Rudy hesitated a little because of her words but nodded leaving the room with her. "Let's not keep the groom waiting any longer."

Bonnie held her head high and a smile as they crossed the front door and went inside the main chapel where the guests waited along with the groom and the young priest who was fixing his white tunic with a nervous tick.

Bonnie walked slowly with her father, in the left side of the chapel was Luka's pretentious family all dressed like this was a royal wedding, Bonnie hated every single one of them except for the woman sitting a few benches away from the rest of the family buried in big hats and diamonds.

She looked to her right where Luka's precinct was represented in large numbers but her eyes went to the Mikaelsons that were all here for her, all in style and good taste, even Elijah's secretary looked immaculate in a simple navy blue dress, not to mention Esther who smiled at her sadly which made Bonnie nod at her reassuring her that she was all right.

Bonnie looked straight ahead to the men waiting for her, at least Luka had the decency of asking his father to be his best man instead of one of his friends that she barely knew.  
Rudy gave her away to the man wearing his official uniform, it was funny to Bonnie how instead of being aroused by the look, he was able to inflict only fear in her.

She accepted the small kiss on her cheek that Rudy left and watched the men exchange handshakes obviously happy with the arrangement about to unravel.

"Beautiful dress." Luka whispered before they faced the priest.

Bonnie looked down as father Timothy began his speech with a few stops and a stuttering reading, she opened her hand to look at what she was keeping there.

It was a picture of her in high school with curly hair, big glasses and braces that she happily showed in a smile because the boy in the picture always made her comfortable no matter what she was wearing, Kol had a smug smile with an arm around her, keeping Bonnie close to him and a basketball ball in his other hand that he arrogantly held on top of one finger.  
Bonnie could still remember the day this was taken and how certain they were that nothing would ever come between them.

"Bonnie..?" the priest asked again when she didn't acknowledge him the first time around.

"Bonnie." Luka's voice was stern and low next to her and he slightly turned so he could see her properly.

Bonnie closed her hand around the picture and looked straight at Luka ignoring the nervous priest trying to carry on with the ceremony. "Do I like pineapple?"

Luka was confused. "I guess… what's with the crazy talk now?"

"For example, I know that you hate it but do you even know how obsessed I am with pineapple?"

"I'll buy you one before we leave for our honeymoon." he hissed.

"You can't leave the country now because you are under investigation and you haven't even asked me where I wanted to go."

Luka grew impatient and licked his lips. "You are making a scene Bonnie." he said between clenched teeth.

"Do you need a few minutes? Perhaps some water for the nervous bride." the priest suggested closing his book.

"I'm fine." Bonnie simply said and looked ahead.

Luka looked at his father who nodded encouraging him, he placed his hand on Bonnie's lower back in that possessive way of his, it was his unspoken way of keeping her under control.

While the priest fought to find the right page to carry on with the wedding she faced Luka. "Are you aware of how much of a control freak you are?"

"Bonnie, you are embarrassing me so stop this right now." he whispered in her ear discretely.

She smiled closing her eyes for a second, then she obediently turned to the priest again.

The young man cleaned his forehead filled with sweat but kept going, he told Luka to take Bonnie's hand and to pronounce his vows, he was going to merely repeat the ones that were ordinary because none of them worked on anything.

When they were about to start Bonnie spoke. "Do you mind if I go first?"

Luka faced her ticked off and the priest started stuttering again but she touched his hand soothing him. "I'll be brief, Father Timothy."

"I… suppose…" the priest nodded, this was train-wreck already.

Bonnie had a fierce smile when she confronted Luka. "I don't love you."

Father Timothy closed his eyes while a small appalled murmur burst inside the church.

Caroline grabbed Nik's arm hard and held back her breath.

"And I kissed Kol outside this church just last week."

The priest covered his eyes with a shaking hand under a big gasp from the guests.

Caroline made little fists excited while Nik found it all just entertaining.

"What are you doing?" Luka snapped taking her arm.

"I really thought that it was love what I felt for you and I suppose that in the beginning it was headed that way but during all those months I was just trying to forget Kol and as time went by with us, I became used to have you around subtly trying to control me and manipulate me. And I allowed you to get away with it because I didn't want to believe I was that weak but I'm fighting you now."

"Stop it..." Luka whispered like that would erase what his family already witnessed.

"I'm not going to marry you." Bonnie simply said and looked at Luka's father, this time she gave him an honest smile. "Thank you for everything you ever did for me and for the shelter but I can't marry your son just to give back all your generosity. I'm sorry." she looked at her father next. "And I can't marry him just to help you win votes with the Judge's friends." she called him out under the supporting grins of Rebekah and Caroline.

The priest sat on the little stairs feeling as if he was about to faint, Bonnie turned away without looking at Luka but he violently pulled her back, proving that all the red flags she had about him were correct.

"Let me go." she said aware that Judge Martin was silently grabbing Luka's shoulder and that the Mikaelson men were all out of their seats ready to step in.

Luka didn't push the threat but he kept his hand firmly around her arm.

She smiled and looked at his awful family. "And in case you care, I think that he is guilty of every crime he is indicted for and if I'm asked to testify against his character I will gladly go on court to say how dangerous I think Luka is."

There was a serious of shocked sounds and the big confusion was settled, she looked at Luka still holding her forcefully. "It's over Luka, I'm not going through with this wedding." she gave him back the engagement ring feeling lighter already. "I'm leaving you."

He felt his father's hold on his shoulder tighter and he knew he was out of options, his Captain was here and it didn't bode well for him to slap her hard in front of his family, plus he could also see Nik, Finn and Elijah eager to have a  _talk_ to him.

Bonnie pulled her arm away from his hold and came to Caroline that was waiting for her in the aisle, she gave the flowers to Caroline with a big smile. "Hold on to these… I have to go talk to someone."

Caroline took the flowers and then Bonnie into a tight hug. "Good luck." she whispered relieved that her friend made the right choice.

Bonnie never felt so certain about something as she did when she grabbed her long wedding dress and ran out of the church.

"Is the party still on?" Sage asked leaning against Finn's chest.

"It would be a shame to waste the gypsy band." Esther said grabbing her handbag and leading the way out of the church.

The Mikaelsons left the chapel under a big commotion that honestly didn't concern them.  
Rudy was busy dodging the few reporters that were around while the rest of the Martins confronted a very mad Luka and a stunned but mostly sad Judge.

* * *

Kol stirred the drink aware he wasn't even touching it, he couldn't drink, his world was about to implode.  
Bonnie was married by now and he was forced with a new reality, he lost her to Detective Loser who would make her unhappy and miserable.

Suddenly he wanted to smash the glass against the wall but the same way he fought to stay away from the chapel today he couldn't bring himself to do anything but sulk in a corner.  
There was a small noise and he looked up from the floor expecting his mother to come in with the gory details he wanted to avoid but sitting on his bed, he almost dropped the glass in surprise.

Bonnie walked in wearing her wedding dress and a heart about to jump out of her chest. "Hey..." it almost sounded too silly for the magnitude of the moment.

Kol stood up from his bed shaken and unable to return the simple greeting, his mind was racing.

Bonnie handed him the picture she had been holding the entire time inside the cab.

"Something old?" he asked trying to remember the time, maybe she was really late for her wedding, he couldn't hope for any other scenario really.

"What's my favorite color?" she asked without moving from her place.

He smiled looking at the old picture, they were too young and innocent when it was taken. "It depends on your mood really but green is a popular choice." he looked up from his hand to her face. "You look magical in that dress…" his compliment left his lips with a sigh.

She gave him a small spin, showing the perfect curves under the exquisite dress. "It was a gift." she said facing him with a smile.

"The other one was dreadful." he came clean with her.

"And your favorite Adams' Family character is  _The Hand._ " she smugly informed him.

Kol chuckled. "You know me."

"Yes I do Kol… and you know me, like no one. I was holding this stunning dress this morning and I had no idea what I was doing, except that I didn't want this, I couldn't get married to a man who knows nothing about me and who I don't love." she waited for any kind of reaction but he simply looked as if he was wondering if this wasn't just his imagination so she kept going, this time taking a small step towards him. "It's not him that I want." she whispered.

He nodded slightly making her nervous but it didn't last because finally he reacted and gave a powerful step towards her, he cupped her cheeks and looked into those green spellbound eyes of hers. "I love you."

Bonnie rested her hands over his chest. "I have always loved you Kol."

And what a juvenile smile they shared, like they were back in early high school pretending to outcome each other when in reality they simply completed each other.  
Kol leaned over brushing her lips with his, slowly inviting her into a kiss, her hands traveled up his chest to his neck and she waited for another one of those intense kisses.

Kol wasn't about to fail her now, he slowly traced her lips with the tip of his tongue before making way to a long deep kiss. Bonnie found his hair and did what she dreamed of doing for years, she lost her fingers among his wild soft hair and messed with it while they kissed.

She felt his hands on her back pressing her to him and moaned against his lips, lost in their first kiss that didn't make her panic and stop him, instead Bonnie melted against him like she was made of water.  
This time it was right, she had nothing to feel guilty about and all she wanted was to keep kissing him, the second he pulled away from her, she pulled him back in and demanded another deep kiss.

Their tongues danced around each other, it was a dance that was due for a very long time, a craving finally answered by both.  
Bonnie never knew the intensity in a kiss like Kol offered her but for him she was different from every woman before, she was special to him, she was the one.

The one that commanded his thoughts and his sleepless nights and the one he wanted.  
Kol smiled because she was breathing hard against his lips when they finally broke their second long kiss, he stroked her cheek, his thumb went near her lips and he gently took them again, they were irresistible and demanding to be constantly kissed.

After the sweet kiss Bonnie rested her forehead against his, her breath was racing but so was her heart, beating fast inside of her tight chest, it was him.  
All those years it was him all along and now she was in his arms, Bonnie stroked the back of his neck slowly and met his eyes.

"I left Luka, I told him that I couldn't marry him and I came running as fast as I could to you."

Kol held her close to him. "Not fast enough darling." he said cradling her face and giving her one of his typical smiles.

Bonnie knew what she wanted, she teased his bottom lip before she fully left her weight on it. "I'm here now..." she whispered and her hands traveled down to the rim of his shirt that she pulled up his torso slowly.

Bonnie wanted to keep this moment in her mind, she wanted to remember every single second of it and dropped the shirt slowly on the floor, admiring the man in front of her.  
She was shaking as her hand traced his chest, stopping in the little scar near his heart, Bonnie kissed that scar that scared her so much.

Kol gulped down closing his eyes and wrapping an arm around her, losing his hand in her hair and resting his chin over her head when she rested against his chest and laced her arms around him.  
For the longest minute none of them moved or talked, they just stood there vulnerable to all the unspoken words still between them.

When they pulled away from each other Bonnie kissed him, slowly at first but her hand entangled in the sliver chain around his neck and he deepened the kiss while his fingers found the back of her dress, he left her lips, kissed along her jaw line and then her neck.  
Though he was opening her dress slowly she wasn't breathing easier, the tight dress was loose around her body but his hands on her back now were leaving her dizzy.

Bonnie never felt desire like this before and she gasped throwing her head back the moment the dress fell to the floor.  
He kissed her collarbone, her shoulder and then they were kissing lost in a sparkling craving that was intense and new for both.

Bonnie felt the smoothness of his back with her busy hands that held on to him tightly when he swiftly scooped her up in his arms.  
She left little kisses on his lips, messed with his hair and kept him close to her when he placed her on the bed and tried to pull a little away from her.

Bonnie wanted him so much that it was starting to ache, she engaged him into a long kiss while melting her body against his.  
Kol's hand caressed her arm, he ran his fingers along the side of her body and she moaned again into the kiss when he stroked her leg becoming slowly familiar with her soft perfect skin, Kol's lips began to explore her body and Bonnie bit her lip as he found every inch of her uncovered skin something blissful.

"Kol..." the name parted her lips in pleasure, he was only kissing her and in no hurry to strip her off her clothes.

He kissed her near the little fabric still covering her and his hand gently squeezed her waist pulling another deep sound of pleasure, he searched for her mouth again eager for her irresistible lips and Bonnie seemed to join his skin further, her body adjusted under him and he felt her leg and foot tease the Denim he was still painfully wearing.

He wanted her so much and by the way she tugged his hair and gently ran her nails across his back it was very obvious that she wanted him as much.  
When she gently arched away from the mattress surrendered to the way he kissed her, he unclasped her strapless bra leaving her exposed to him.

She only let out a loud blissful sound because his hands were evil and touched her keen on driving her insane.  
She was forced to leave his body because she had to hold on to something, he joined his lips and tongue to his sinful hands and Bonnie grabbed the mattress arching her back further in passion.

It was under another loud sound that he kissed his way down to her stomach and lingered a bit there, breathing heavy and tickling her with his hot gush of air, he looked up to meet her eyes that were open now and waiting in anticipation.  
Kol pulled away from her but she didn't want him away, she took his hand and knelt on the bed answering another kiss.

She brushed his cheek with her fingertips, then she started to cover his chest in little butterfly kisses.  
Her hands feasted on his amazing chest until they reached his belt that she opened while kissing him.

It was a rougher kiss now, a mirror to all the passion and desire between them.  
When she rested on her back again, she was panting and quivering for him, Kol returned to the breathtaking woman after getting rid of his clothes and looked at her while pulling her sexy panties down her silky legs.

Suddenly their breaths were thick and one, eyes locked and hands still covering skin.  
Bonnie was happy caressing his strong arms, his broad shoulders and smiled lovingly at him before entangling her finger in his necklace and pulling him to her, her body was an instant match to his, melting around him and waiting for his move.

Kol kissed her lips lingering on them before his hand went around her waist, slowly resting on the small of her back.  
Bonnie closed her eyes gasping in unknown pleasure once he made that first move, slowly he redrew before going deeper for a second time.

With the next move came a slow steady continuous motion and Kol moved her hair away from her face admiring her beauty, he stroked her face which made her open her eyes and look at him.  
She looked into his eyes while he steadily moved inside of her, his army tags rested on her chest with every swing of his body.

Her hands burned his back where they pressed him to her, eager to keep him just as he was, one with her.  
He was just malevolent when he kissed her before increasing his pace and Bonnie loudly complained about it by crying out his name and burying her nails deep in his back.

When he started hitting this immensely responsive spot inside of her, she scratched him. "Oh God..." she groaned aware that she was close.

But he was far from ending it so soon, his hands caressed the body pressed to him pulling a few more loud grunts from her.  
She pulled his hair and her leg moved, her foot rested on his lower back and he caressed her leg before grabbing the covers next to her head and focusing on her face alone.

He simply watched her, he couldn't keep his eyes away from her and his hand was slippery on her sweaty back but he pinned her harder to him for the sweet unravel of it all.  
Bonnie's body was showing the intensity and the time he had been making love to her but his straining breath was a clear sign of how close he was as well, she grabbed the back of his neck with one hand pulling a lot of his hair with the move, while the other hand clutched his necklace letting go of everything that only existed outside this bedroom.

"Bonnie..." he let out close to a growl.

She was his, she wanted to erase every other memory she had with any other man and she wanted him to remember only her now, she kissed his lips and locked her legs around him. "Harder Kol..." she asked him what her body demanded and what she wasn't scared of asking him, he would never hurt her.

He kissed her, swiftly parting her lips and darting his tongue inside, her pleasure was his conducting fire and the bed powerfully rocked against the wall with every pound until Bonnie's body jerked intensely under him, he kissed her again, slowly this time like the deliberate thrusts that he still made inside of her accompanying his release and the satisfied whimper as the echoes of her first real orgasm covered her body entirely.

Kol rested his forehead against her neck shaky, he left a long kiss on her sweaty skin before rolling over and taking her with him.  
Bonnie nested her head on his chest with her eyes closed and an unsteady mind, heart and breath, he laced an arm around her keeping her secure in his embrace.

"B... that was..." his breath was racy, unsteady and tired. "I love you." he couldn't even wrap his head around how perfect everything was with her.

Bonnie bit her lip and slowly looked at him.

He gently ran the back of his hand against her arm. "I have a bad heart now darling, so you have to go easier on me." he said dramatically.

She laughed and like she always did lately, she unconsciously covered her mouth.

He was fast and slowly took her hand away from her mouth. "Enough with that, I will not have you hiding from now on, not from me or from the world."

She nodded at him slowly and smiled without her shield, it was a magnificent smile to watch and he played with her fingers smiling back at her, then out of nowhere he moved and she frowned landing on her back while he sternly looked at her.

"What is it?" she asked truly worried.

"I hope you know that I intend to chase away with a bat every man who comes remotely close to you from now on." he said serious and when she meant to protest he added. "And you are never leaving this bed again."

Bonnie mockingly rolled her eyes. "So all this was just for the sex, huh?"

"Most accurate of you Miss Bennett." he teased trying to keep a straight face.

She sighed loudly. "Well..." Bonnie shook her head. "If I keep you in bed at least I can keep an eye on you."

"My mother will leave the food at the door so that we don't starve." he outlined her face with a finger.

Bonnie took his tags and ran her finger through the engraved letters. "Why took you so long to see me, Sergeant?"

He shook his head. "I don't know B but I'm not letting go of the other side of me now."

"Don't break my heart Kol." she asked vulnerable because that was the only thing she couldn't forgive him.

And he knew that, he was scared of letting her down somehow but eager to prove himself to her, he was going to make her happy.

* * *

**Soundtrack:**

Mirrors –  _Justin Timberlake_


	13. Epilogue

The jittery yells were so loud that Bonnie and the other volunteers had to cover their ears, but they jumped and screamed so happy that it was impossible to be remotely mad at them.

"Settle down so we can start giving you the presents." Bonnie sweetly asked them but they were far from listening or doing as she was pleading them.

A few other girls tried as well but the children were out of control, until there was a loud whistle that worked like magic.  
All the kids stopped and stared at the man standing by the door.

Kol squinted at them. "Why are my troops not in formation?"

The kids waved their arms while running to get into a single line, they bumped against each other a bit but within seconds there was a big line of little soldiers in front of Bonnie, they were all so serious and standing with raised heads and hands behind their backs that Bonnie had to crunch her lips to tame a big laughter.

She handed a present to the first kid smiling at him.

"Thank you Bonnie." The roguish kid that usually stole chocolate from others seemed like a little man now, as he turned away taking his gift.

Bonnie bit her lip when he passed Kol and stoically saluted him.

Kol returned the motion serious. "At ease soldier."

The kid grinned and raced to an empty play table, eager to find out what present was hidden under the bright red paper.

"This campaign really worked…" one of the volunteers said while handing Bonnie the gifts.

"Esther came up with the idea during Christmas, a lot of families have all these toys just lying around in the attic and instead of throwing them away, we encouraged them to donate them. Elijah even found a way to make the donations deductible in taxes." Bonnie explained.

"Some of the toys were still in their original packages and they make these kids so happy…" The volunteer loved seeing the children so excited.

Bonnie also had a big smile but it was reinforced when the end of the line came with a real soldier throwing puppy eyes at her.

"Do I get a present as well?" Kol asked her.

The volunteers giggled choosing to go check on the kids and to leave the couple alone.

Bonnie showed him a pair of empty hands. "Sadly, I'm out of action figures…"

He gave her a roguish smirk.

She smiled cradling his face. "But I have a kiss for you."

He melted his lips against hers happy and they kissed enjoying the sweet moment.

"Ewww…" A joined complaining sound erupted.

Kol and Bonnie broke the kiss, obviously the crowd wasn't suited for such displays and they left the room under a binge of funny faces and silly smooching noises.

"Nasty little buggers." Kol murmured.

But Bonnie laughed, the kids all loved Kol and they were ecstatic when he was around, which happened often since they opened this new shelter.

"It's Rebekah again…" Kol complained when his phone started ringing. "Since she moved to Virginia with Matt that she calls us every single day." Kol kissed Bonnie before taking the call. "When she was here, she barely spoke to any of us." he scoffed.

Bonnie squeezed his hand before he went outside to take the call and watched him leave with a sigh, how much her life had changed in less than a year.  
It had been a shock when Esther presented the project to Bonnie but she latched on it with the same determination she grabbed her chance with Kol, the official transition to new property happened a few months later and the space was so big that Bonnie embraced another project with an open heart.

Bonnie arrived to her office with a reminiscent smile, she still remembered the day she  _baptized_ the huge room with Kol, that night and while she was lying in his arms on top of her big ass desk, Kol talked to her about a project he was working on since he returned from Afghanistan.  
Ian, one of the men in his unit was married and had a little boy, shortly after Kol returned home Ian was killed during an ambush and Kol kept recalling how attached he was to his family.

It wasn't easy being an Army wife but it was harder to a widow, so with Bonnie's help, Haven became an open house for women who lost their husbands at war and needed a safe environment to heal from their loss.  
Many of them volunteered now at the shelter and they helped those who came to Bonnie for help after a traumatic marriage or relationship, she was proud to call Haven a family house now and everyone who came here always left happier and with bigger hopes for a better future.

Bonnie checked the few letters she had, that was another big change in her life, by joining her project with Kol's it drew attention and it really helped that her boyfriend was a war hero with a big family name behind him, the Mayor took interest and now Haven received a monthly fee from a governmental funding for charities that was enough to pay for all the bills and her small salary.  
Kol's salary came from the place he took in the family business replacing Nik, who finally decided to pursue his artistic side.

Bonnie sighed sitting at her big desk, that was the only sad thing in her life at the moment, Caroline and Nik loved their week in France so much that they decided to move there after they got married in a lavish wedding, Caroline owned a small gallery right in the heart of Paris and most of her collections came from her husband's talent.

Bonnie rested her chin on her hand, her desk was cluttered with frames, pictures of Caroline and Nik, of Rebekah who changed Universities so she could go with Matt who was drafted into a big Football team, of little Noelle who was now almost a year old and looked absolutely adorable dressed as an elf with her big red hair and freckles, then there was Esther and a big family picture at Christmas.

Slowly Bonnie's hand drifted to the most important picture of them all, the old worn-out picture of her and Kol in high-school and the huge smile returned.

* * *

"… that's fascinating Bekah…" Kol rolled his eyes with flair but stretched out his hand for Bonnie when she arrived to his side.

Bonnie laced her arms around him and hid her face in his neck.

"But a bunch of people replicated in wax spooks me." he stated his opinion about the museum.

Bonnie closed her eyes enjoying the way he smelled and kissed his neck.

Thankfully Rebekah finally found the urge to end the call and he was able to focus on the girl in his arms.

"She misses you." Bonnie clarified the reason Rebekah called Kol and the others every single day.

"Do you miss me too?" he asked slowly because Bonnie was melted against him.

"I love you." she said with bright happy eyes.

He gently kissed her and shielded her in his arms after wrapping them around her. "I love you B…"

"And I really like the way you smell." she found the need to address that.

He laughed but in reality he couldn't agree with her because what he loved the most was the way that her smell was deeply embed into his skin after they made love.

"Your mother is going to worry if we don't show up soon, you know that when Finn and Sage go over for dinner she likes to have everyone on time." she reminded him of their family obligations.

"Will we be telling them tonight?" Kol's eyes were beacons of light.

Bonnie's eyes mirrored his. "Yes."

* * *

"Daddy…" Finn said slowly, he repeated the word a few times so that the little gorgeous girl would mimic him but she only had a bright smile for her father and nothing else. "Come on baby girl… do that for daddy…" he begged her.

Instead of speaking Noelle squealed when she saw Kol arriving and waved her arms energetically.

"Hello Princess." Kol kissed her head. "Can you say Kol?"

Finn pushed him away annoyed. "Leave my daughter alone."

Kol laughed entertained and went around the kitchen island to greet his mother.

Esther was engrossed with something on her phone, she only glanced up to see which son arrived near her. "Hello son."

"What news have you so absorbed?" Kol asked while looking for a glass to pour some wine.

"They are about to announce the verdict on Elijah's trial." she stared at her phone.

Kol exchanged a look with Bonnie who just came in with Sage.

Esther startled when a new message arrived and fought to unlock the screen of her over-modern phone. "I miss my buttons." she complained but eventually found her way around the touch technology, she held her breath before reading the message. "It's Rebekah." she lowered her shoulders discouraged. "I thought that it was Elijah."

They all wanted justice to prevail but no other more than Bonnie, it had been a long gruesome trial that expanded over the span of a year and during the course of it so many horrible and macabre things came into light.  
The corruption web was elaborate and Luka was involved in so many shady schemes that Bonnie literally had to ask everyone around her to stop talking about the trial of the year.

It was deplorable to think that she was with Luka during months without suspecting that he was involved in extortion, power abuse and bribery but sadly those were the lighter crimes.  
As the evidence started coming in, it was proved in court that Luka and a handful of other police officers were involved in a bigger scheme of drug and human trafficking that branched out to important names in New York, Bonnie wouldn't be surprised if her father was involved in it since he simply took a jet and fled the country.

"Why is your brother making me suffer like this?" Esther took Kol's glass earning for a drink.

Sage smiled with affection at Bonnie. "All of this will be over soon."

"It ended for me a long time ago." Bonnie had a deep breath relived that she dodged that bullet.

Elijah burst through the kitchen door with messy hair, a loose tie and a bottle of champagne in his hand. "I lost!" he beamed.

"Oh thank the Lord." Esther pressed her chest.

It was definitely strange to celebrate Elijah's first losing case but the occasion called for it.

Elijah opened the champagne radiant. "Katherine was a ruthless killer in her final arguments and the defense never stood a chance against her."

He filled enough glasses for everyone and after sweetly kissing Noelle's cheek and finally acknowledging her presence, he handed the first glass to Bonnie. "They made of Luka an example and he was sentenced to 20 years."

"His father must be heartbroken." her sentiments only went that far and she looked for Kol's comfort.

Elijah nodded watching the brave girl go around him to meet his brother. "Still, a drink is in order."

Bonnie and Kol shared a long look and a bigger smile as she rejected the drink.

Esther squinted and used her finger as a weapon, she pointed at them with narrowed wise eyes. "You're not drinking for a reason…" she fixated on Bonnie.

Bonnie lightly touched her tummy. "I went to the doctor today and I'm pregnant."

Esther screamed so loudly that she scared little Noelle. "Oh my gosh, I'm sorry little one." she rushed to kiss Noelle's head under the heavy scowl of Finn but then she turned to Bonnie and Kol. "My babies…"

Kol beamed at his mother. "There is a little soldier on the way."

"Lord helps us all." Finn mumbled with a cutting remark.

Kol ignored him, he was too happy about this.

"A baby to fill this house again and to play with Noelle." Esther opened her arms, she launched them around Kol and Bonnie and pulled them into a tight hug. "I'm so happy that you decided to live here so I can help you with everything now." she kissed Bonnie's temple emotional.

But she wasn't the only one with her emotions prickling out, Elijah held the champagne closer to his heart and sniffled loudly.

"Are you all right there, Elijah?" Finn asked adoring the teasing material that he was recording on his phone.

Elijah cleaned a small rebel tear gathering at the corner of his eye. "I'm just getting used to all the light… I've spent too much time inside of a dark building."

"So precious..." Finn ruthlessly sent the video to Nik adding the joyful news to the message.

Esther stroked Kol's face now. "I'm so happy that you decided to start your own family."

"Stop mother, I know you and you are a step away from saying how proud you are that I'm sexually active with Bonnie."

Esther's smile was telling. "I know how active you are, I can hear you sometimes from my bedroom."

Bonnie clasped her eyes shut and buried her head in Kol's chest, he lost all of his swag while Esther smirked turning around.

"Uncle Kol was knocked out by mother Mikaelson." Finn played with Noelle's hands.

Noelle laughed when he used his hands to cover one of his eyes and then the other.

"You should hush and make another baby." Esther warned him before addressing the other son. "And you? When will you settle down and start your own kin?" she asked Elijah.

"I'm going to call Rebekah and tell her about the new developments." Elijah decided to run away from a direct confrontation that would lead him to explain why he broke up with April six months ago and how he celebrated today's outcome with Katherine in the parking lot.

"Don't tell Bekah about the baby." Kol warned him. "I want to tell her myself."

Elijah looked back. "Rest assured that it will be a secret."

Kol grimaced, he knew now that Rebekah would pretend to not know about the pregnancy, although it was the first thing that Elijah was telling her.

Sage hugged Bonnie with a happy joyful feel. "This makes me so happy, I remember how excited but nervous I was when I found out about Noelle."

"It's a mix of emotions but this last year that I've spent with Kol was just amazing and now having a baby with him feels right, and his reaction when I told him was just perfect."

"Did he cry?" Sage still remembered Finn's tearful spur vividly.

Bonnie shook her head with a smile. "He just said that he wasn't Mikael and that he would never hurt me or our baby."

Sage gulped down touched by the words but Esther was fighting her breaking tears.

She had caught Kol escaping the kitchen and she found him sitting in the family tree house, she sat next to him with a trembling voice. "While you were away at war, I sat here so many times praying that there would be another chance for us to sit here together again."

"In a few years, I will be sitting here with my son, or my daughter." he looked at his mother keyed up.

Esther attempted to give some order to his wild hair. "I heard what you told Bonnie… about not being like your father."

Kol's dreamy grin faded. "I love them and I will always protect them, from myself if I have to."

"I'm proud of the men I've raised, you and your brothers prove to me every day that blood does not create a family, love does." she moved her hand to his face.

Kol took the hand caressing his face and kissed it. "We are only mirrors of what you taught us to be."

Esther pulled him to her, she cried while holding him close but today was a day of glee not of tears and she kissed his cheek before ordering some control. "Have you started thinking about names already?"

Kol grimly sighed. "I'm dreading that Bonnie will want to name the baby Pineapple."

Esther threw her head back laughing loudly. "Kol…" she shook her head.

He laughed carelessly like it was his personality.

* * *

The end


End file.
